InLaws
by TassanaBurrfoot
Summary: The sequel to my story Heart and Soul. Prison puts a damper in Draco and Hermione's plans for a dream wedding. Can Hermione release Draco and his father so she may have her wedding? Or will the tides of prejudice put an end to her fantasy?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimers: **I do not now, nor have I ever owned the Harry Potter series or its characters. This story is strictly a work of fan fiction devoted to this wonderful world of Harry Potter. Any similarities between real people, places, and things are purely coincidental.

**Warning!!!: **This story is a Draco/Hermione fanfiction. If you do not like this couple, I suggest hitting the back button now. This story also contains scenes of an explicit nature. If you are under the age of 18, or if such scenes offend you, I suggest hitting the back button. I am not responsible for controlling what children read. That responsibility rests within the confines of proper parenting.

**Key Note: **If you have not read my story **Heart and Soul**, I suggest you do so before reading this story, since this is a sequel to that one. You will _not_ understand some of the things in this story if you do not read **Heart and Soul**.

**In-Laws**

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Prologue

Draco pulled her close again and kissed her. It felt so wonderful to feel her in his arms again after so long. He never wanted to let her go.

She threw her head back and laughed. She reveled in the sweet kisses he set to her chin and her neck.

"Get a room," said a voice causing the couple to break their kiss.

Draco sneered at the offender, but Hermione just laughed. She laid her head against his chest and smiled at Padma. Padma returned the smile, and then added, "Of course, I don't blame you."

Hermione took a moment to take note of their surroundings. Most of the people in the Great Hall had returned to their rejoicing, some mourning. She found her friends sitting at Gryffindor table. While Harry and Ginny were engrossed in conversation, Ron stared at Hermione. Well, at first that's what Hermione thought. She suddenly realized that the scathing stare he had wasn't for her, but for Draco.

Hermione knew Ron was angry. To him, she had betrayed him. It was her fault. She had led him on, making him believe something would happen between them. She had kissed him. And now, she was in the arms of his enemy set for marriage. Of course, she was already married to Draco, but Ron didn't know that.

"Darling? Perhaps we aught to sit?" Draco suggested quietly in her ear.

Taking his hand into hers, she began the short hike towards her friends. She was stopped short when he did not follow. She threw him a curious glance and questioned, "I thought you wanted to sit?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I all ready have seats for us. I'm sure my mother wouldn't mind making room for you."

Her brows knitted together. "I thought we'd sit with Harry and..."

He stopped her with a shake of his head. "I have no desire to sit by Potter or the Weasleys. Especially given the circumstances."

She admitted he had a point, though she was saddened that she wouldn't sit with her friends. Then again, given the look Ron had plastered on his face, perhaps sitting away from them _was_ a good idea.

She allowed Draco to lead her away and towards the Slytherin table where his parents, Luna, Seamus, Blaise, and Padma sat. Draco was grateful that she did not protest his choice. Ronald Weasley wasn't the only reason Draco did not wish to sit by Hermione's friends. He wasn't sure what sort of reception he would receive from Potter or the young Weaslette. Not to mention the fact they were sitting at the Gryffindor table. Old prejudices die hard.

When they approached the table, Narcissa moved closer to her husband to allow Draco and his new bride a place to sit. A pair of tight-lipped smiles greeted Hermione as she took a seat next to Seamus. She knew she had a long way to go with the two older Malfoys. Thanks to Draco, they hadn't said anything horrible to her yet.

"So, Granger, I guess..." Blaise started, and then hesitated. He pierced his lips in thought before asking, "Actually, would it be too bold if I called you Hermione?"

Hermione looked up at the dark boy in amusement. "Not as long as I can call you Blaise," she answered, offering him a warm, pleasant smile.

He seemed happy with the idea as Padma touched his arm. Before anyone could say anything else, Luna piped up, "So, Hermione, what are you, Harry, and Ron planning on doing now?"

The Gryffindor shrugged. "I'm not sure. With Voldemort gone," she glanced at Draco curiously when she felt him shudder. Shaking her head, she continued, "the only thing I can think of now is rounding up what's left of the Death Eaters. I don't suppose we'll have a problem getting certification. With McGonagall's help, I'm going to try to take my N.E.W.T.s so I may become an Auror."

"You most certainly will not!" Draco interrupted, his steel eyes glaring at his new wife for her audacity. "I don't mind you taking your N.E.W.T.s; in fact, I encourage you to do so. But, you will not become an Auror."

Hermione bristled. No one told her what she could or could not do. Especially after everything she had been through. "Draco, if you think for one moment..."

"Out of curiousity, Miss Granger," Lucius interrupted, his voice as smooth and silky as a snake, "has it escaped your notice that _I_ am one of those Death Eaters left to be 'rounded up?'"

Hermione felt herself deflate as though she were a balloon. Then, she found her voice again and charged, "You may be right, Mr. Malfoy, but that doesn't mean you'll be arrested. You've done nothing wrong since you've left prison. Of course, you've really done nothing 'right' either. You remained neutral throughout the rest of the war, so..."

"Neutral or not," Seamus stopped her, "Shacklebolt is coming this way."

Hermione glanced in the direction Seamus was looking to see the tall, black man being followed by two other Aurors. She could feel Draco squirm with nervousness, though she didn't quite understand why. She stole a quick glance at the others and saw that they, too, were nervous. Especially the Malfoys. But, she was firm in her belief that there was nothing to fear.

Shacklebolt looked stern when he approached the small group, though Hermione could almost catch a glimpse of sadness in his eyes. He nodded in greeting to the young Gryffindor.

The black man then turned to Lucius and said in clear, crisp tones, "Mr. Lucius Malfoy, you are under arrest..."

"Under what charges?!" Hermione demanded, standing up and thrusting her fists into her hips. She stood between Shacklebolt and Lucius and glared at the black man.

Those around them grew quiet until slowly, everyone turned to look at the scene. Not one of the Malfoys said anything. Course, Hermione wasn't sure if it was because they were interested or shocked by her display. She didn't care either way. She was _not_ going to let them take Lucius without good reason.

Shacklebolt sighed and placed a weary hand on Hermione's shoulder. He gently moved her away and gazed down at the eldest Malfoy. He continued as though he hadn't heard Hermione at all, "Mr. Lucius Malfoy, you are hereby under arrest for the abduction of Miss Luna Lovegood and Mr. Ollivander. You are also being charged with boarding two known fugitives, one Bellatrix Black Lestrange and Tom Marvolo Riddle. You are being charged with conspiracy against the Ministry of Magic and accessory to murder on several accounts. And last, you are charged with being a member of the notorious gang known as the Death Eaters."

Shocked, Hermione slowly melted back into her seat as Shacklebolt read Lucius his rights. When asked for his wand, Lucius raised his hands. "I have no wand," he confessed. "It was taken from me and destroyed."

The tall black man nodded. "You understand, Mr. Malfoy, we will have to check to ensure you are not lying."

"He's not," Harry called out, approaching the scene with Ginny and Ron flanking him. "I was there the night his wand was destroyed. Actually, _I_ was the one who destroyed it."

Lucius said nothing as he stood up from the bench. He sneered haughtily at Harry and did not protest as he was magically handcuffed. He glanced down at his wife and son and gave them a sad, but proud nod of his head. Narcissa fought to hide her tears.

But, Shacklebolt wasn't finished. "Mr. Draco Malfoy, you, too, are under arrest," he told the youngest Malfoy.

Draco paled as he squeezed his wife's hand. He was being arrested? A fear which he hadn't known before began to creep inside him. Hermione moved to protest again, but Draco stopped her with a quick glance. He had no desire to go to prison, but he also didn't want to see her get locked up as well. He feared she would, too, if she were to continue.

"You are charged with attempted murder and accessory to the murder of Albus Dumbledore. You are charged with performing the Imperius Curse on Madame Rosemerta. You are charged with breaking into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and allowing Death Eaters onto the premises, thereby risking the lives of innocent women and children," Shacklebolt listed.

"Oi! Kingsley! Add the attempted murder of Ronald Weasley to that list," Ron said suddenly, malice etched onto his face.

"Ron!" Hermione shouted in surprise.

"No, Hermione," he growled. "The prat deserves what he gets. I almost died because of him."

Draco rolled his eyes. "If its money you want, Weasel..."

"I don't give a damn about your money, Malfoy," Ron snapped. "I want to see you rot in prison. You're nothing but scum."

Shacklebolt added the attempted murder of Ron Weasley to the list. Hermione could feel the tears fall freely from her eyes as Shacklebolt read Draco his rights. She glanced at her terrified husband, but was powerless to do anything.

"I must ask for your wand, Mr. Malfoy," Shacklebolt said as he held out his hand. "Furthermore, you are henceforth expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft..."

"No, he is not!" McGonagall shouted from across the room. She pushed through the people to get to the scene.

It was only then that Hermione had noticed that everyone had been watching the events unfold. Some people had smug faces, as though they were glad to finally see the Malfoys put to shame. Others looked shocked that this was happening at this moment. More were confused as though they hadn't even known the Malfoys were there.

"Until further notice, I am the headmistress of Hogwarts," McGonagall commanded, approaching Shacklebolt. "I shall decide who is expelled and who is not. From my understanding, Mr. Malfoy was a victim of circumstance and was threatened into submission, therefore cannot be held accountable for his actions. He will continue his enrollment at this school and, when he _does_ get out of Azkaban, he will complete his N.E., if he chooses."

Shacklebolt raised an eyebrow. "You intend to prove his innocence?" he asked, though, secretly, he already knew the answer.

McGonagall shook her head. "I do not," she informed him, causing a gasp to echo throughout the room. "I won't have to. Honestly, Minister, do you really believe the young Mrs. Malfoy here will allow her husband and his father to be thrown in prison for crimes they were forced to commit? These are absurd accusations and I assure you, I have taught Mrs. Malfoy for the past six years. She will stand up for her family."

Shocked, Ron glanced back and forth between Hermione and McGonagall. _The young Mrs. Malfoy_?! What the bloody hell did that mean?

Realizing what McGonagall was saying, Hermione found her Gryffindor courage and stood up next to her teacher. "Exactly," she said, sending a scathing glare to Ron. "I plan to fight this thing tooth and nail. And, I promise, Mr. Shacklebolt, I _will_ win."


	2. Chapter 1

**The In-Laws**

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter One

Hermione had never been more angry in her life. She stared daggers at Ron. "I can't believe you would do that! You know damn well last year had been an accident. _Harry _had even said as much!" she shouted, not caring about the specticle she was creating.

Ron didn't seem to care much either, for he returned with venom, "That arsehole deserves what he gets! I don't know what went on between the two of you and I don't care. It makes me sick to think you would choose him over me, especially after all we've been through."

Hermione's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. Without warning, she slapped Ron across the face. "You're jealous," she accused. "You're jealous because I chose Draco and not you. You don't really care what happens to him so long as he's away from me. You think you have a chance with me? Well, you can forget it! My marriage to Draco has all ready been validated and consummated. All we wanted was the actual ceremony, which I _will_ have. I am legally a Malfoy and there's not a damn thing you can do about it."

She turned on her heel and ignored his shocked sputtering. Looking at McGonagall, she asked, "Professor, may I be granted full access to the library throughout the summer? I need to work on a defense for my husband and my father-in-law. Also, I'll need someone to fetch my parents from Australia and restore their memories."

McGonagall, impressed with how Hermione handled Ron, nodded. "You may have all the access you need, Mrs. Malfoy, for as long as you wish."

"Thank you, Professor," the girl said. She looked around her. "Now, I just need someone who can bring my parents back home."

Professor Flitwick spoke up. "In Australia, you say? I wouldn't mind popping down under. And, if it was a Memory Charm you used, I can restore their memories without a problem," he suggested.

Hermione smiled kindly at the petite professor. "Thank you ever so much," she told him. She turned to a distraught Narcissa. Sitting next to the older woman, Hermione offered in a soft voice, "I'm going to my parents' home to freshen up and begin working on this case. If you would like, you're more than welcome to join me."

"I have no wand," the woman stated. "I had given mine to Draco during Easter, after Potter had stolen his. That wand Draco handed over was not mine."

Hermione understood. "Draco must have lost your wand in the fire. I believe Harry had mentioned it to me. I know Mr. Ollivander is retiring, but I believe I'll be able to convince him to make you a new wand. Once Mr. Malfoy is out of prison, I'm sure I can presuade Mr. Ollivander to do the same for him."

Narcissa stared at the girl. "Why?" she questioned. "I can understand your kindness to Draco, but why me? Why Lucius? What have we ever done for you?"

The Gryffindor smiled. "You had Draco. You are a part of Draco. And Draco loves you so much... I'm not going to pretend that I like you or your husband. I don't really know either of you well enough to come to that conclusion. I'm not delusional, either. I know you don't like me. You'll probably never like me. However, I'm willing to put aside our differences for the one thing we _do_ have in common: our mutual love for a man who has risked _everything_ to keep us alive. I know how much he'll appreciate my efforts. I love Draco very much and will do everything in my power to fight for him. To fight for _us_."

The woman just stared at her. "I've never heard anyone aside from my husband and myself speak of my son with such conviction," she quietly appraised. "I believe, from all I have witnessed from you, he is a lucky one. You may be a Mudblood, but apparently you know what you are doing. At least, for the sake of our family, I _hope_ you know what you are doing."

Hermione felt her heart swell. She knew she shouldn't expect such a compliment from Narcissa Malfoy. For the first time in her life, Hermione did not mind being called a Mudblood.

"Hermione?" Luna said, jousting the Gryffindor from her thoughts. "If you don't mind, I would like to help you with your case. Mr. Malfoy did not kidnap me. Nor did he hold me hostage, though I was in his home. And Draco did sneak food to Mr. Ollivander and me on a couple occasions."

Hermione smiled. "Are you willing to repeat that in court? To testify?" she asked.

"Yes," the Ravenclaw stated.

Hermione nodded. "I'll appreciate your help, Luna."

"I want to help, too," Ginny offered. "My brother is the biggest git."

"I'll help, too," Harry told her. "I was there on the tower that night. I can testify in favour of Draco. If you would like, I'll also testify for his dad."

Hermione looked at him curiously. "You'd do that?"

Harry just shrugged. "I don't like either one of them one bit. But, I love you more. You're the sister that I never got to have, Hermione. If getting those two prats out of prison would make you happy, you can count me in."

"I'll testify," Seamus piped up. "Draco Malfoy saved my life. He may have been a prat in school, but I owe him."

"As do I," Dean Thomas added. "I've never seen anyone fight like Malfoy did. He stood against everything he had once believed in."

Hermione was overcome with emotion as Padma and Blaise also offered their help. Even McGonagall offered to testify on the Malfoy's behalf. After all, next to Hermione, Draco was a top student and proved his worth on more than one occasion.

Ginny giggled as she took a seat next to her brunette friend and gave the Muggle-born a hug. "You let these people testify and they'll be pulling Draco out of prison and slapping an Order of Merlin on his chest!" she joked. "He'll be a right hero!"

Hermione thought about that as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I might even be able to procure one for Lucius if I play my cards right."

As the friends laughed, Narcissa and McGonagall stared at Hermione "Can you do that?" the older Mrs. Malfoy asked.

Harry snorted, "I think Hermione could do anything she set her mind to. She's stubborn and knows how to use facts to her advantage. She's scary sometimes."

Hermione just held her head up proudly as Narcissa declared in wide-eyed amazement, "You _are_ a Malfoy."

On the other side of the Great Hall, away from the laughter and cheers, Ron sat with his crying mother. He did not bother to look in the direction of Harry and Hermione. Once again, he felt as though they had deserted him. But, this time, _they had_.

At the moment, it did not matter to Ron. If he had anything to do with it, the Malfoys will remain in Azkaban for the rest of their lives. Maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to procure a Kiss for them as well...

(II) (II)

So, Draco was not expelled. He and his father left the Great Hall in silence. Neither fought, though both knew it was hopeless. They were both guilty of the crimes that had ben piled against them.

The journey to Azkaban was long and seemed surreal. Draco kept wondering if perhaps the entire thing was a dream. A nightmare he was having. He desperately wanted to wake up.

They climbed ino the boat that had been provided for them. Draco just stared out at the open water. Never in his life did he believe he would be sent to Azkaban.

"The dementors are no longer there, son," Shacklebolt assured the young Slytherin. "Seeing as I'm the new Minister, I got rid of the foul creatures. The place is being run by Aurors now."

Draco glanced at his father, who said nothing. Hermione had stated her wish to be an Auror. Perhaps Draco could convince her to change her mind.

Hermione. Draco wondered briefly if this was Fate's cruel way of telling him they were not meant to be together. It seemed Fate continued to throw obstacles in their path towards happiness.

They should have been in Cancun. He should have taken Dumbledore's offer. They should have married with a small, private ceremony consisting of close friends and family.

Draco glanced at his father again. "She's going to fight this," he said, causing his father to give him a confused look. "Hermione. She's going to fight it. Even if we must still serve time, she'll at least get the time reduced."

"How can you put so much faith in a Mudblood?" Lucius asked, not convinced.

Draco shrugged. "You've never seen her in action. She's determined and refused to accept failure... Just like any other Malfoy," he explained. Then, he added, "And don't call her a Mudblood. She's my wife."

They were given separate cells. Since Draco wasn't an actual Death Eater, he was placed in a less secured area than his father. Course, it didn't bother Draco. What _did_ bother him was the small cell, small bed, and striped clothes.

"I hate stripes," he complained as he looked down at the black and white tunic and trousers he was forced to wear.

The Auror who led Draco did not respond. Instead, Draco heard a loud click of the lock being placed on the door.

He glanced at the single, dull bed. Even the beds in the hospital wing at Hogwarts had been more cheery. However, he did his best not to complain too loudly. As bad as he had it, he couldn't imagine what his father was going through.

For both of their sakes, he silently prayed that Hermione would hurry.


	3. Chapter 2

**In-Laws**

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter Two

_Three weeks later..._

"Mr. Malfoy, you have a visitor," said the guard as he opened Draco's cell.

Draco got up from his bed and looked at the guard curiously. "Who?" he asked, though he wasn't surprised when the guard did not answer.

His arms and legs were shackled and he was led into the visitor's room. Once he was secured onto his seat, the guard allowed the visitor to enter. Draco's eyes narrowed as he glowered at the red-headed monstrosity. "Weasley," he sneered.

Ron Weasley said nothing at first, merely gazed at his former schoolmate. Then, his face crept into a disgusted snarl, "You look good in chains, Malfoy. Prison life suits you."

"What do you want, Weasley?" Draco growled. He knew not to test his chains. The shackles were held taunt by magic.

Weasley kept a calm facade. He wasn't in a hurry. He enjoyed watching his nemisis tied up. "I kissed her, you know," he stated, calmly. "Actually, she kissed me. It was a pretty good... No. It was a _damn_ good kiss."

"It's not going to work," Draco told him. "I saw this kiss you're talking about. Hermione was under a lot of stress..."

Weasley's laugh cut Draco off. The sound was forced and mirthless, strained yet cruel. "Stress?" he chided. "Yes, I suppose so. But, you can't deny one thing, Malfoy; she enjoyed it. In fact, had you not come slithering back into her life like some worthless gartner snake, she and I would be married now. We'd be married and she'd be happy. Instead, she's shacked up with your pureblood bitch of a mother pining over the loss of a toad who can't even satisfy her needs."

"Don't you _dare_ insult my mother, you bastard!" Draco snarled, trying to stand. The chains kept him bound to the chair. "You know _nothing_. My mother _and_ my _WIFE_ will get me out and when they do..."

He stopped, but Weasley prodded, "You'll do what? Kill me? Go ahead and say it. I want to hear the words. Let them slip from your tongue, Malfoy."

But, Draco held his tongue. He knew then why Weasley had come. It was to goad him. Draco would not allow it to happen. Too much was at risk. His wife and mother were working too hard for him to screw up now.

"So, Malfoy, you have so much faith in your little wife... Have you seen her yet? Has she visited you?" Weasley asked. The question had caught Draco off guard, so Weasley was able to catch the answer on his pale, thinning face. "She hasn't. Neither has your mum, I'm sure. I don't blame them. They probably aren't even working on your case. Can't stand each other. Your mother hates Muggle-borns. You don't stand a chance of getting out of here."

Before Draco could respond, Weasley turned on his heel and left. Draco knew the boy had to be lying. But, still...

(II) (II)

Hermione growled in frustration. She glanced over the mounds of parchment as she tried to decide her next coarse of action. There was so much evidence to support her defense, especially since Narcissa had agreed to testify against her sister.

Hermione knew she was treading on thin ice. Were Bellatrix still alive, Narcissa would have refused. As it was, Narcissa was't comfortable proclaiming her own sister had put her under house arrest. Hermione had to do a lot of convincing.

"Dear, perhaps you should try for a spot of tea," her mother cooed gently, touching her daughter's arm.

"Your mother's right," her father said. "You haven't relaxed since we returned home."

"Longer, Mr. Granger," Ginny corrected, looking up from a law book. "I'm lucky if I can get her to eat, much less sleep. And we won't even discuss Mrs. Malfoy."

The Muggles passed each other concerned looks. Though they had been able to coax a bit of food to Hermione, Narcissa had refused everything. Even now, the thin blonde was pacing the length of the Grangers' fireplace.

Narcissa had agreed to stay with the Grangers while Hermione worked on the case. It was difficult for the pureblood, who knew nothing about Muggles, but she had found some comfort in the fact that she was given the same room her son had once slept in. Though she was civil to the Muggles, they could tell how much she was fighting her prejudices.

Hermione sighed, "I'm missing something. I _know_ I'm missing something. Ginny, where is the list of charges?"

Ginny pulled out the two scrolls of parchment which listed all the charges brought up against Lucius and Draco. She sighed as she handed them over to her friend for the thousandth time.

Just then, the fireplace roared with green flame. Narcissa stepped back. "Lovegood," she greeted tightly.

"Hello, Mrs. Malfoy," the girl returned merrily as she stepped out of the fireplace and dusted off her robes. "Harry is right behind me."

Sure enough, Harry appeared amidst green flame. He jumped out of the fireplace not bothering to dust himself off. He mumbled a half-arsed greeting to Narcissa as he made his way into the kitchen, where Hermione and Ginny were. He handed Hermione a small scroll. "We are royally screwed," he told her.

Worried, Hermione broke the parchment seal and read the contents. She suddenly screamed in outrage, causing those at the table to look up in surprise. Narcissa ran into the kitchen with Luna behind her.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Granger asked, concern written on her face.

"That stupid prat! I hate him!" Hermione snarled as she shoved the parchment into her mother's hands.

Mrs. Granger took the parchment and read aloud:

"_Dear Mrs. Hermione Malfoy,_

_We regret to inform you that Mr. Ronald Weasley has refused to drop his charges on Mr. Draco Malfoy. Also, he has urged us to push back the trial date due to the fact that he will not be in town._

_Since Mr. Weasley is part of the prosecuting attorney, we must ask that you respect his wishes. Furthermore, he has informed us that Miss Katherine Bell wishes to press charges against Mr. Draco Malfoy for attempted murder._

_Mr. Draco Malfoy's court date will be on the thirteenth of August, in the year 1999._

_In regards to Mr. Lucius Malfoy, we regret to inform you that his court date is currently pending. Once we have found an appropriate date, we will let you know._

_Again, we apologize for this inconvience._

_Sincerely,_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

_Minister of Magic"_

Silence reigned supreme in the quaint house. Hermione could not bear to look at her mother-in-law. Draco's trial had been pushed back and another charge had been added to his list of crimes. Lucius' trial had been put on hold.

"We _will_ win this, Hermione," Ginny assured, breaking the silence that threatened to smother them. "We have a trial date for Draco. That's a good thing. It gives you something to focus on. In the meantime, Luna and I will take over Lucius' case. We'll get him a trial date, I promise."

Hermione felt herself fall back into her seat. "I can't ask you to take over a whole case," she said, staring hopelessly at the law books which seemed to be failing her.

"You're not asking," the red-head pointed out. "I'm offering. Luna knows more about Lucius' crimes than we do. I'll work with her. Together we can form something solid and substantial. As for you, I want you to focus on Draco. You and Harry bring Draco home."

Hermione nodded even though she could feel the tears cascading from her cheeks. "It feels so hopeless..."

"Don't talk like that," Harry gently scolded. "You're a Gryffindor. You helped me defeat Voldemort. There's no way I'm letting you give up on this. In all the years I've known you, you've never been a quitter. I won't let you quit now."

"You aren't seriously considering quitting?" Narcissa gasped, her voice hitching as tears filled her eyes.

Hermione finally looked up into the woman's pale blue eyes. She saw the fear and sorrow the woman had for her husband and son. She noticed the etched lines, dark circles, and sullen skin of a woman who had not eaten or slept in weeks. And there, deep within the pits of the woman's blue orbs, Hermione saw _him_.

The brunette Gryffindor found a new strength within herself and within the depth of the love that woman held for the two most important men in her life. "I won't give up," Hermione promised, taking Narcissa's hand in hers. "I won't."


	4. Chapter 3

**In-Laws**

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter Three

Two more weeks had passed and Narcissa was found eating a few bits of cheese. She smiled kindly at the dark Italian boy sitting across from her as she popped another cube nto her mouth. Indeed, he was possibly the only person of late who received any of her genuine smiles.

The relationship between her and her daughter-in-law was extremely strained. They had found a common goal and were able to be civil to one another because of it. Other than that, they remained apart.

The only person Narcissa found comfort in was Blaise Zabini. She had known his mother in school, a beautiful Slytherin. Though Narcissa had been envious of the girl's beauty, she had found the wisdom to befriend her.

Blaise was a pleasant enough boy. He had inherited his mother's looks and charm. He had been the one to finally persuade Narcissa to eat, even if it was "Muggle food."

"It's not that bad," Blaise comment as he popped a roma tomato into his mouth. He chewed for a moment, savouring the taste, before swallowing and continuing, "Mr. Granger said he's making us a bar-be-que, whatever that is. Padma assured me it's worth it. She went to a Muggle bar-be-que once with that Mudblood Thomas."

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Honestly. A man cooking? Have you ever heard of anything so strange? I don't know how much more I can take of these Muggles," she sniffed in annoyance. "How Draco managed an entire summer is beyond me."

"Draco didn't have a choice," Blaise reminded her. "And neither do you, really. Hermione has worked nonstop on both Draco and Lucius' case."

"I thought she was suppose to give Lucius' case to that Weasley girl?" Narcissa questioned before placing a sweet meat in her mouth.

Blaise shrugged. "That doesn't stop her from putting in her two Knuts. She was the same was in school. Professor Snape was constantly deducing points from Gryffindor because Hermione would help that idiot Longbottom."

"Oh, if only Severus was still alive," Narcissa lamented, sighing in frustration.

"He'd be in Azkaban," Blaise pointed out. "Dumbledore's orders or not, Snape still murdered the headmaster. Furthermore, he allowed Death Eaters to teach at the school. Not to mention all the other crimes I'm sure the Ministry would have charged him with. And with Dumbledore not there to defend him this time..."

She just grunted grumbly. "So, when is the Muggle cooking?" she asked, changing the subject.

Blaise shrugged. "I think this afternoon. They've invited Thomas and Finnigan as well. Oh, and I've a treat for you."

She looked at him curiously. "A treat?"

He flashing his charming smile. "Yes, Potter and I agreed that, if all goes well this afternoon, we may take you and Hermione to visit the Malfoy men tomorrow."

"Please tell me you are being serious," she begged, her eyes flashing with hope.

He nodded in confirmation. "It's true. Potter has some pretty good connections within the Ministry, namely the Minister. Draco and Lucius wil be allowed time to prepare and greet you properly. You'll both get to visit both of them at the same time, in the same room. You and Hermione will have to check your wands at the door, of course, but Draco and Lucius won't be too bound."

Narcissa momentarily forgot her prim and proper manners as she threw her arms around the young Slytherin. "Oh, Blaise! How can I ever thank you?"

"Don't thank me, thank Potter," he said as he returned her hug. "This is all his doing. We are lucky to have Potter on our side for once."

She pouted as she withdrew from him. "I hate owing these people so much. I'll be so happy when I can go home with my husband and son and relax."

"Don't forget your daughter-in-law," he commented.

She snorted, "Yes, well, something tells me she won't be pleased with returning to Malfoy Manor."

He knew what she was referring to and couldn't help but agree.

(II) (II)

The Grangers had a relatively large backyard. The center of the yard had an oval shaped inground pool that went from four feet deep down to nine feet. A half covered deck reached out from the back door onward for about twelve feet. It also stretched along the house for twelve feet.

Near the pool, away from the deck and off to the left, was a painted white gazebo. To the right of the pool was Mr. Granger's toolshed. The yard itself smelled of fresh cut grass. Two large oaks stood proudly away from the pool.

"Oi! Granger! You didn't tell me you had a pool!" Dean exclaimed, looking at the presteen water longingly.

Hermione shook her head and laughed. "There are some extra trunks in the shed. My father keeps them for when my cousins come over," she told him.

Dean smiled happily as he and Seamus went to the shed. Mere moments later, the two were racing to the pool. Water splashed everywhere as they dived in.

Hermione was in a wonderful mood. Harry had told er of the prison visit she and Narcissa were going to be allowed to have. She couldn't wait to see her husband again.

She glanced at the older Mrs. Malfoy and sighed If anyone should be happy about tomorrow's visit, it should be Narcissa. Hermione had never seen anyone pine as much for her husband. It was heartwrenching.

Hermione had been grateful when Blaise had answered her owl. She and the pureblood weren't the best of friends by any means, but she knew how much Blaise cared about the Malfoys. He was able to pull Narcissa out of the depths of her depression just in time. Had he waited any later, and Hermione feared the woman would have died.

"So, what do we do at a 'bar-be-que'?" asked a voice to Hermione's right.

She turned and smiled at the Italian boy who had just been in her thoughts. "Well, you could go swimming, if you want. Harry's setting up the chess set under the gazebo. When Luna and Padma get here, Ginny and I are going to set up a net for badminton. There's a hammock between the two trees if you'd like to laze about. And of course, there's always conversation to be had," she suggested.

He raised a slim eyebrow. "Potter's setting up wizard's chess?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and then laughed at the surprised expression on Blaise's face. "My parents may be Muggles, but they've lived the past eighteen years with me. Considering how people keep Flooing into our home, I highly doubt a game or two of wizard's chess will bother them."

She could tell he was turning this information over in his head. As hard as Blaise tried, Hermione knew he wasn't comfortable in this setting. He had been in the Wizarding World his entire life. Muggles, and everything pertaining to them, were a bit beyond his comprehension.

He mentioned helping Harry and walked away. She decided to see if her father needed any help and went up to the grill. "Daddy?" she said, drawing his attention.

He glanced up and smiled at her before flipping over a hamburger patty. "Hello, dear," he greeted. "I can't remember the last time you called me 'Daddy'."

She smiled as she slipped an arm around his waist in a half hug. "I guess that means I'll have to call you that more often... Did you need any help?"

He kissed her on the forehead. "No, princess, but if you'd like, your mum and Ginny are inside. I know one of them could use your help."

She reached up and kissed him on the cheek before slipping inside. She walked into the kitchen just as Luna and Padma arrived. She greeted them both with a smile that reached her ears.

"Wow, Hermione, I haven't seen you this happy in ages," Padma commented.

Hermione shrugged, though her smile as possitively gleaming. "I'm going to see Draco tomorrow. I can't wait!" she squealed, feeling like a teenage girl again.

"Yes, Blaise told me about that," Padma said, smiling at Hermione's happiness. "It's a shame Draco can't receive gifts. But, I might give you a greeting card for him anyway. If not, make sure you tell him how much he's missed."

Hermione agreed as Luna asked what a greeting card was. Padma explained, "It's a Muggle thing. Dean had shown me one once a few years ago. his mum sent them to him when he was a Hogwarts. They usually say little things like, 'I miss you,' or 'Happy Birthday.' It's just a nice way of showing someone you care."

Luna's eyes lit up. "Oh, Hermione," she asked, turning to the Muggle-born, "do you think we could go get a greeting card? I'd like to send one to Draco and Lucius as well."

Mrs. Granger piped in, "That sounds like a wonderful idea! Hermione, why don't the four of you go and pick out some nice cards for Draco and Lucius? The drugstore is just up the street and I'm sure the men would appreciate knowing they haven't been forgotten. Your father and I will go later and pick a couple of our own."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "What if the prison doesn't allow them to keep the cards?" she asked.

"Then at least they'll know they were thought of," Ginny said. "I think it's a good idea as well. We should go now so we can get back in time for dinner."

As they walked out of the house, Hermione grabbed her purse. She knew none of the other girls understood Muggle money.

(III) (III)

The moment they stepped into the Muggle drugstore, Hermione almost regretted bringing the witches there. She was horribly reminded of the first time she had stepped into Diagon Alley. The three pureblood witches were awed.

"Hermione, don't _ever_ bring my dad here," Ginny warned as she looked at a small water fountain. "You'll never get him out!"

The Muggle-born couldn't help but agree. Knowing Mr. Weasley, he'd try to buy the whole store! Or, at least, spend hours admiring every small thing. She glanced at the clerk and mouthed "tourists" before steering her friends towards the card aisle.

They spent the next hour looking for the perfect cards for Lucius and Draco. When their cards were finally selected, Hermione led them to the counter to pay for their purchases. She wasn't surprises to see the mound of sweets and other things the three witches added. The clerk rang them up and gave Hermione the total.

As Hermione dug through her purse for her credit card, Luna asked, "How much is that in Galleons?"

Hermione pulled out the plastic card and handed it to the clerk. "I'll figure it out later, Luna."

The clerk handed a slip of paper to the Muggle-born, which she signed. She took the receipt he handed her and led the other witches out of the store.

"Do you think the prison will allow gifts?" Ginny asked. "They aren't magical items, just Muggle stuff."

Hermione shrugged. "I doubt it. I don't see why they couldn't keep the cards, but these other things could be considered weapons. Especially things like that fountain you bought and the snowglobe Luna got."

"Actually, I bought the fountain for my dad," Ginny said apologetically. "I got Draco that battery operated razor... Course, now that I think about it, the razor might be more interesting to my dad."

"No, the fountain should do fine," Padma cut in. "I don't think it will matter much to Mr. Weasley. And that razor could come n handy for Draco. I can't even imagine what his face must look like right now."

Ginny nodded. "I got one for Lucius as well. Along with some extra batteries and shaving gel. I don't know them very well, but I know how they both are about their appearances."

"It's a very thoughtful gift," Hermione agreed. "But, I still don't think they'll be allowed to keep them."

"I bought Mr. Malfoy a picture frame," Luna said. "If you could get him a picture of his wife and son, perhaps he won't be so lonely in that cell. I bought the snowglobe for Draco because I thought it was nice. He likes nice things."

Padma nodded. "Actually, I bought pretty much the same things, only for the opposite people. Draco has this picture that he carries around with him, so I got him a frame so he could keep it nice. I got Mr. Malfoy the snowglobe because Draco told me once that his father loves winter."

Hermione found they were all thoughtful gifts. Though they were Muggle-made, they were useful. But, Hermione knew such gifts wouldn't be allowed. She even doubted her own gifts.

As for herself, she had bought both men each a pack of Logic Problems and a small handheld game with extra batteries. She also added a pack each of mechanical pencil with refills.

She hoped they would be allowed to keep their gifts. She couldn't begin to imagine what it must be like for them. Sheer boredom alone could drive the most sane person mad. But, she still wasn't sure they would be allowed. It _was_ prison, after all.

Hermione led the girls through the gate and into the backyard. From the smell, dinner was ready and Hermione did not wish to wait anymore.

Harry had joined Dean and Seamus in the pool, though Blaise remained by Narcissa. The dark Italian saw the girls approach and raised an eyebrow. "What did you buy?" he asked, looking at the bags they carried.

Mrs. Granger smiled. "I thought you were just getting cards," she commented.

Hermione sighed as she placed her package on the table. "We were. Then, we thought it would be nice to get them a bit of something."

"They're not allowed gifts," Blaise informed the girls. "It's prison Gra... Hermione. You'll be lucky if they can even keep the cards."

"I thought about that," she answered. "But, we haven't bought anything harmful. To any normal wizard, it's just Muggle junk."

Narcissa looked indignant. "You bought my husband and son junk?"

The Muggle-born shook her head. "It's _not_ junk. It just seems such at first glance. We actually hope these items will cheer them up a bit."

"They're not allowed gifts," Blaise repeated.

The other boys approached then with towels wrapped around their waists. Harry looked curiously at the shopping bags. "What did you buy? Mrs. Granger said you were going for cards."

"We were," Hermione responded. She told him of their desire to give the men something to cheer up.

"They're not allowed gifts," Blaise said for the third time.

"You sound like a broken record," Hermione snapped irritably.

"Maybe if I keep saying it, it'll sink in," he shot back.

"Actually, Blaise is right," Harry said. "Prisoners are not allowed to receive gifts. However, given the circumstances, I might be able to convince them to bend a few rules for the Malfoys."

Ginny looked at him curiously. "Circumstances?"

Harry nodded. "Shacklebolt actually agrees with Hermione. He believes the Malfoys to be innocent, forced into action by Voldemort."

"So, why were they arrested?" Padma inquired, folding her arms. "If the Minister believes them to be innocent, why did he personally see to it that they were sent to Azkaban?"

"Once, because they _were_ involved," Harry replied. "Two, because if he hadn't, they would have been arrested anyway. Lucius and Draco are two prime suspects. The Aurors were all ready looking to lock them up. Shacklebolt was present to make sure both Malfoys were treated fairly and no harm came to them. He's counting on Hermione's case to get them out."

"So, you think the Minister will allow them some comforts like gifts?" Hermione asked, hope rising.

Harry reached into Luna's bag and pulled out the snowglobe for Draco. "A snowglobe isn't call for alarm," he said to her. He browsed through the packages. He grimaced slightly at Ginny's gift. "I don't know about the razors, but the rest of the gifts are harmless enough."

"The razors should be fine as well," Hermione commented as she pulled one out. She took it out of the box and ran her finger along the blade. "These are relatively new models. The blades only work whn it's turned on and pressed against your face or skin. Even then, it's designed to do no more than a nice, smooth shave."

Mr. Granger's eyes widened when he saw the razor Hermione was demostrating. "Those are actually nice. I thought about buying one myself. Very nice, very expensive."

"Expensive?!" Ginny gasped, grabbing the bag. "Hermione, you didn't tell me how much it cost!"

"It doesn't matter," the Muggle-born told her.

"Yeah, Ginny," Harry added. "I was going to pay for them anyway."

Ginny glared at him. "Don't you dare pity me, Harry Potter. Don't try to show me up. Just because I don't have money..."

He pulled her into an embrace. "It's not pity," he assured her, rubbing her back. "Nor am I trying to 'show you up.' I love you, Ginny. As far as I'm concerned, my money belongs to you as well. I've already put your name on my Gringotts account."

She looked up at him. "Harry..."

He softly hushed her. "I was going to tell you all of this later, but I suppose now is as fine as any. Ginny," he said, "you are everything to me. I can't imagine another day without you in it. All last year, all I ever thought about was you. You kept me going when everything seemed hopeless. I owe you my life in many ways. Perhaps after all this is over and we've helped Hermione out, we could plan a wedding of our own?"

Ginny smiled. "Are you proposing, Mr. Potter?" she asked.

He gave her a wink. "Not yet. But, when the time is right, I intend to," he said, kissing her lightly on the lips.

Narcissa gave an asperatd sigh. "Could we please get back to our original conversation?" she interrupted, glaring at them disdainfully. "What makes any of you think my husband will accept Muggle things as gifts?"

Hermione pursed her lips. "We can't give them anything magical. Even Harry wouldn't be able to persuade the prison otherwise. Our only option, then, is Muggle things," she explained. "I'll have to show him how to use some of the stuff, but it's not difficult. Even it he doesn't like them, I think he'll accept them. Anything is better than nother."

"Which is what he currently has," Harry pointed out.

Narcissa just sneered. "I still don't think he'll accept them, but, by all means, try. It will give me a good laugh."

Hermione just rolled her eyes.


	5. Chapter 4

**In-Laws**

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter Four

Draco heard his door click open before a guard threw him a bundle of clothes, a towel, and a washcloth. "I'm taking you to the showers, Malfoy. On your feet," the guard ordered.

The Slytherin stood from his position on the bed before following the guard out. He was led down the dark and dank corridors into a small showering area. Once he stepped inside, the door was shut and locked.

He began to carefully place his clean apparal on a small chair when he realized there was a difference. The guard had given him black robes. Confused, Draco rapped on the door. When the guard opened it slightly, Draco expressed, "I think you gave me the wrong clothes."

The guard huffed, "You have visitors coming, Malfoy. The Minister requested that you be presentable," he explained. He handed Draco a toothbrush and toothpaste. "Forgot to give you those. You have fifteen minutes. Shower, dress, and be ready."

The door slammed shut again and Draco heard the lock click into place. He quickly stripped and stepped into the shower. As he bathed and brushed his teeth, he couldn't help but wonder who was comng. He hoped it wasn't Weasley again.

(II) (II)

Hermione sat nerviously in the waiting room with Narcissa. She couldn't believe her luck! Harry had indeed been able to convince the guards to allow Lucius and Draco to keep whatever Hermione and Narcissa gave them, provided it wasn't anything magical. And, of course, it had to be safe.

"Stop fidgetting," Narcissa reprimanded, holding two baskets full of sweets.

Narcissa had gone with Henry and Amy Granger after dinner to the drugstore. She had decided a gift or two wouldn't hurt, even if it were Muggle things.

Two guards walked into the waiting room. One of them, a short, burly man, said, "We were given orders to allow you to set up before the prisoners entered. You may do so now."

"But, you will not be allowed your wands," the second, a tall, skinny guard, informed them. "We are sorry, madams, but it's just too dangerous."

Hermione pulled out her wand and handed it to the tall guard. "We understand. We appreciate everything you are doing for us."

The guard just huffed as Narcissa handed her wand over as well. She did not seem pleased by these circumstances, but she was willing to take what she could get. She would do almost anything to see her family again.

They carried their bundles into the visitor's room and set them on the table that was provided. Hermione went through the gifts and placed each card with the appropriate gift. Once everything was straight and in order, the two women allowed the guards to escort them out of the room so Draco and Lucius could enter.

(III) (III)

As Draco stepped into the visitor's room, his eyes widened by what he saw. Several packages adorned the small table. Each package was wrapped in shiny paper save two large baskets.

Even better, Draco's father was escorted into the room right after Draco. The guards removed the hand shackles from both Malfoys. "It was requested that the two of you remain unbound," the guard explained. "We will leave the shackles on your feet, however. If we hear anything inappropriate, we will return immediately."

_In other words, be on your best behaviour_, Draco thought. He waited for the guards to leave before he glanced at his father again.

The older man was thinner and looked as though he hadn't shaved in a really long time. His pale blonde hair was dripping from, what Draco surmised, the shower he had taken. Though he stood with dignity, Lucius looked like a shell of his former self.

Lucius raised an eyebrow at the table. "What is all of this?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"Gifts," answered a soft feminine voice Draco thought he had imagined.

Both males looked to see their wives standing in front of the door. Draco's heart melted at the sight of them, the two women he loved more than life itself.

"Hermione," he whispered as she sprinted to him.

She crashed into his body with such force he nearly fell backwards. Planting his feet firmly into the stone floor, he wrapped his arms around her tightly. He knew it was unseemly for a lady to act as Hermione had, but he didn't care.

He pressed his lips against hers feverishly. He drank in every bit of ambrosia she offered, tasting her sweet fruit with his tongue and lips. He never wanted to break contact.

Hermione ended the kiss by breaking away with a laugh. "Your beard is itchy," she complained playfully pouting.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "I have nothing to get rid of it, darling," he told her.

Her smile turned mischievous as she glanced at his parents. "I don't think you have to worry about that anymore," she responded.

He had no idea what she meant, but he turned his own gaze at his parents. He missed them both so much. "Mother? Father?" he called gently, interrupting their kiss.

Narcissa smiled at her son as she and her husband approached the younger couple. She embraced her only child as though they had been apart for years. Draco could feel the longing and sorrow within her embrace.

Hermione stepped apart from the family as they hugged one another. She felt uncomfortable, as though she were an intruder upon a happy occasion. She wondered if she would ever feel differently.

Draco couldn't remember the last time he had been embraced by his father. At first, it felt awkward to feel the hardened Death Eater's arms wrap around his body. Then, it felt comforting, it felt right. A childish memory played in Draco's mind as he returned the hug.

Draco stepped away from his parents and turned back to his wife. He didn't quite understand the sad look in her eyes. He took her hand into his as he asked, "What's wrong?"

She gave him a soft, sad smile as she stepped closer to him to wrap her arms around his waist. "Nothing, darling. I'm just so happy to see you," she told him. She gave Lucius a meaningful look, "Both of you."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "What is all of this?" he questioned suspiciously. "Are we being released?"

Hermione shook her head. "Sadly, no," she answered. "We were able to gain a visit with you because... well, because of Harry. We've been working on your cases, trying to see if we can get them thrown out."

"Did you get us a trial date?" Draco asked, gazing down at his wife.

"According to Potter, your trial is set for next year," Narcissa replied for Hermione. "However, Lucius is still 'pending'."

Hermione was quick to add, "That doesn't mean we aren't _trying_ to get a trial date. Ginny and Luna have both been at the Ministry everyday as well as Harry. Kingsley has been working on it as well."

Draco sneered, "I'll bet he has. Doing everything he can to keep us locked up."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "The only one trying to keep you locked up is Ron... Well, and the Aurors. Kingsley believes my side of the events. And with Harry..."

Draco pushed her away suddenly. "How is Weasel, by the way?"

Surprised, Hermione knitted her eyebrows. "What?" she asked, not understanding.

"You heard me. Been keeping corrospondence with him? Snogged him lately?" he growled.

"Son, what are you talking about?" Narcissa questioned.

Draco waved at Hermione. "The day the Dark Lord was defeated, I caught Hermione snogging Weaselbreath. A few weeks ago, that arse visited me and informed me they had picked up their relationship."

Hermione's eyebrows flew into her bangs in shock. Narcissa came to her defense, "I don't know what that freckled-face pauper told you, but I assure you she's done no such thing. She's rarely left the house since the Dark Lord's death. When she does leave, it's always in company."

Hermione was angry. "Even if I did have such time, do you really think I'd want to rekindle a relationship with the man who put my husband and his father behind bars? Which, by the way, he's managed to add yet another charge to the list, as if I haven't enough work to begin with. I have worked day and night diligently to get you and your father released, Draco. I want you home where you belong. Not locked up in some cell paying for crimes you couldn't help commit," she explained.

Draco looked at her curiously. "What other charge?" he asked.

"The attempted murder of Katherine Bell," Narcissa answered with a sneer.

Lucius was curious as well. He looked at Hermione and asked, "Why are you working on my case? I wouldn't think a Mudblood like you would care."

She stood straight and stared into his cold grey eyes as she responded, "You are family, Lucius. When I agreed to marry Draco, I agreed to accept you as well. We may be from different worlds with different beliefs, but we both hold the same family values. I love Draco with all my heart and soul. I do what I do for him and for the extra family I have gained in marrying him."

Draco decided that the most awkward moment of their visit had not been the hug he and his father had shared, but rather the silence that followed Hermione's proclamation. He was proud of her, for he had heard the test in Lucius' question.

Draco walked over to the table that held the packages. "What are these?" he asked in an effort to dispel the moment.

It worked. Hermione smiled brightly as she joined her husband. "Gifts," she answered with a smirk, "from your admirers. We hoped to cheer you up a bit."

Draco's eyes caroused over the brightly coloured packages until they rested on a peculair envelope. He picked it up. "This says 'Lucius,'" he commented, giving his wife a curious glance.

She nodded merrily. "Of course. You didn't think they were all for you?" she teased.

He looked over to his fater who shared a confused look with him. His mother, however, was just as pleased as Hermione about the gifts. "The baskets are from me," she explained. "Everyone else bought you silly little trinkets, but I thought you'd appreciate some chocolates."

Hermione nodded and added, "And my mum fixed you both plates of stroganoff. She hates the idea of you being here and is under the belief that you aren't getting fed properly."

Draco's eyes lit up as he sought out the plate of food. He found the one with his name on it wrapped in aluminum foil. He snatched it up and opened it. Mrs. Granger had even been thoughtful enough to include a plastic fork. He quickly armed himself and dug into his meal.

"Draco Malfoy!" his mother scolded. "Where are your manners?"

As he swallowed a bite, he apologized, "Mrs. Granger was right, Mum. All we get to eat is soup or stew. I haven't a decent meal since Hogwarts."

Lucius perused the items on the table while his son ate. His own interest was evident, but he was much more guarded about the Muggle food. He cautiously picked up his own plate and, upon opening it, he sniffed at the contents. "It's still warm," he observed.

Hermione shrugged. "The guards allowed me to place a warming charm over the plates to help keep them fresh until the food could be eaten," she explained. She saw Lucius' disdain and wrinkled her nose. "It's not poisoned," she added a bit more haughtily than she had intended.

Draco smiled proudly at his wife. She was handling his parents quite well, in his opinion. Then, a thought occurred to him. "How's the Manor?" he asked.

Narcissa shook her head slightly. "We wouldn't know. I had returned only long enough to gather some clothes and personal effects. I locked and sealed it up tight. I haven't been back since."

"Blaise goes over there to check on it," Hermione informed them. "He makes sure the wards are still up and no one's broken in."

Lucius almost dropped his plate. Had it not been for Hermione's quick reflexes, he would have. The looked he gave the Muggle-born made her almost regret being so close to him. "You have my wife staying at those Muggles' house?!" he snarled.

Hermione set the plate on the table and met his icy glare with one of her own. "You can insult me all you want, Mr. Malfoy," she hissed. "But don't you _dare_ insult my parents. Your wife asked to come stay at our house. No one forced her."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Hermione, darling," he said, "you do realize that the Manor is your home now? I mean, since we are married..."

She turned to look into her husband's eyes. All colour drained from her face as she realized he was not jesting. She felt herself go weak and quickly sat in one of the four chairs.

Alarmed, Draco set his own plate down and rushed to her side. "Darling, what's wrong?" he questioned, concern written on his face.

She took a few moments to compose herself before she answered, "I'm sorry, Draco. I just... I can't return to that... place. It gives me chills just thinking about it... To live there..." She shook her head. "You can't ask that of me."

Draco decided to let the matter drop for now. He understood his wife's fear and knew it would take some time. He looked at the items on the table and picked up an envelope with his name on it. "What is this?" he asked, flipping the envelope over to see it sealed with wax and a large "Z."

Hermione smiles through her tears. "It's called a card. The girls thought it was an interesting idea," she replied.

"Girls?" he questioned as he broke the seal. "That's Zabini's seal, if I'm not mistaken."

He took the card out and nearly laughed at the sight of a watercoloured fairy. "May all your dreams and hopes come true," he read. He opened it up and continued, "Best wishes from the two of us to you. Blaise and Padma."

His smile turned into his typical smirk. He turned to the gift they had given him and opened it. He didn't quite understand the black frame until he read the note. "To place the one you hold dear. Love, Padma and Blaise."

"She wouldn't tell me what the note meant," Hermione told him. "She said you would know."

He nodded briefly before looking up at her. "Make sure you thank them for me?" he requested.

Hermione did not understand the sudden emotion that had overcome her husband. She glance over at her in-laws to see Lucius going through the basket his wife had given him.

Draco picked another card up to see a Ravenclaw seal plastered over the back of it. He opened it and pulled out the card. There was a still photograph of a black and white kitten angng on a branch on the front of the card. The inside held a simple message, "Hang in there," and it was signed, "Yours truly, Luna Lovegood."

Another smirk played on Draco's lips as he began to open te gift. His smirk turned into a puzzled look as he held the heavy object in his hands. It was a glass ball held up by a green porcelin base. The base had leaves carved all over it to represent treetops. Inside the ball was a golden eagle suspended in mid-flight. Water and glitter also filled the ball. Draco looked at his wife curiously.

She smiled as she turned the small brass key underneath the base. As glitter flew around the eagle, a sweet melody played from the base. "The song is called 'Greensleeves'," Hermione told him. "Luna thought it was fitting."

Draco nodded slowly. He placed the ball next to his picture frame and reached for the next envelope. This one was sealed with the Gryffindor coat of arms. Draco wrinkled his nose, but broke the seal anyway. "You didn't have to seal it with _that_ symbol," he commented.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "That's not mine," was all she said.

Curious, Draco pulled the card out. The picture was that of a beautiful sunrise. Words were written across in gold. The front of the card read:

"Journies may be harsh,  
Winters bitter,

Life may be tough,

Strong are the rivers.

"As te day ends,

You'll find night to bring,

Darkness and fear,

Covers everything.

"Do not lose hope,

Do not be afraid,

For as one day ends,

Another day comes

Proud and brave."

He opened the card to find, "Fear not the darkness for a new dawn shall arise from it's ashes. Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley."

Draco looked up from the cryptic message and stared into the soft honey eyes of his wife. She handed him the small gift bag. What he found in the package confused him for a moment. "What is..." he read the label on the can of shaving gel and laughed. "Potter bought me a razor?"

Hermione shrugged. "Actually, Ginny picked it out. She thought, since you can't use magic, a good razor would come in handy."

Draco shook his head as he laughed. Mr. Granger had shown him how to use a razor a year before. Back then, Draco had been appalled by the strange object. Now, he was grateful. "You'll have to show me how to use it," he told her as he set it aside and reached for his next gift.

Unlike the other cards, this envelope was sealed to itself. Draco had to carefully rip the envelope to get to the card inside. The front was an oil painting of a quaint little cottage with a beautiful tree in the yard. In blue letters, it read: "To our beloved son-in-law..."

He opened it and read: "May this card find you in good health and bring you cheer and joy. We miss you. Love, Amy and Henry Granger."

He gave a soft smile as he took the presents and unwrapped them. He raised an eyebrow. "Books?" he questioned.

Hermione giggled. "The first two trilogies of Dragonlance. They are my father's favourite series. He thought you'd like them because of all the magic and enchantments within."

He just stared at her. "He bought me books," he stated.

"Well, if you don't like them, we can bring them back," she commented, not liking his attitude.

He pulled the books away from her. "No," he said.

Her smile was smug as she handed him the last gift. "I didn't get you a card. I didn't think it was necessary since I was going to see you," she explained.

He opened it and gave a little laugh. "See? I expected something like this from you. Books with word problems."

She nodded. "And a handheld video game," she said, pointing to the small game. "It's battery operated and should be fine to play around here."

"What the bloody hell is this?!" Lucius demanded suddenly, drawing the young couple's attention away from one another and towards him.

They peeled over in laughter. He had opened his gift from Ginny and Harry and had been examining it. Lucius Malfoy was covered in shaving gel.

(IV) (IV)

One hour and several insults later, Hermione had managed to clean away all traces of shaving gel from Lucius. She had also demonstrated the proper uses of the razor, the gel, and the video games. A shaved, yet not-so-pleasant Lucius glared at his daughter-in-law as he ate the stroganoff her mother had fixed.

Hermione ignored the looks and mutterings of her father-in-law. She knew he was angry and while she didn't blame him, his insults were childish and petty. She refused to let him get to her. Instead, she focused her attention on her husband.

"I don't understand," the young Slytherin was saying. "Why doesn't my father have a date yet? And why is mine a year away?"

Hermione thought on it for a moment. "My guess is they want to keep you in here as long as possible. If we have enough evidence that the two of you are innocent, the cases would be thrown out and you'd be released."

"Do you have enough evidence?" he questioned, taking a bite out of a chocolate bar.

She sighed, "It's going to be hard to prove anything. If Bellatrix or Voldemort were still alive, the cases _might_ be easier. I know it would be a hell of a lot easier if Snape or Dumbledore were still alive. Especially Snape."

Lucius scowled, "What good would Snape's testimony be?"

"He could prove your innocence," she answered. "Remember what Harry said? Snape belonged to Dumbledore. More than that, Snape was a close family friend to you. He saw how Voldemort was treating the three of you. He knew of the threats against your lives if you didn't bow down to the whims of a madman. His testimony would be the final nail in this case. The prosecutors would have no case."

"But you have Luna," Draco stated. "She was there."

"For some of it," Hermione pointed out. "And then, only a brief moment. She's agreed to testify. So has Harry."

"Potter's agreed to testify?" Lucius questioned, surprised.

Hermione nodded. "Though, he can only really testify for Draco, I think. He was on the tower the night Dumbledore died."

"Where?" Draco asked. "I don't recall seeing him."

"Of course you don't," she explained. "He was wearing an Invisibility Cloak. It was something he had inherited from his father."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "So, Potter testifies on my behalf. They see the truth and set me free. That still doesn't help my father. Even if I were to testify, they'd think I was lying or something just to help him."

"I'll testify," Narcissa said suddenly, drawing the attention of the other three. "Even with Potter's testimony, it still might not be enough. However, I was there when the Dark Lord gave Draco his 'task.' I was also there when my husband lost his wand and fell prey to my sister and the Dark Lord. I watched as that monster nearly destroyed my family."

"I won't let you," Lucius said, taking her hand into his. "I'm not going to let you relive those awful memories."

She snatched her hand away from his and hissed. "Let me? Since when did I need your permission, Lucius? This is my choice to make. I will not stand idly by while my husband and son, the two men I love more than life itself, sit in prison. I want you out! I'm tired of the Muggles. I'm tired of wearing a mask. I want to go home, but I refuse to return without you."

Lucius stood and pulled her into an embrace. He kissed her gently on the lips before whispering against them, "I just don't want to watch you be fed to the lions, my love. They are dangerous and ravenous. Snake venom alone will not be enough to drive them off."

Narcissa pulled back slightly and smiled. "You're right. Snake venom _won't_ be enough. It's a good thing we have our own pair of lionesses," she observed, gesturing to Hermione.

The three purebloods gazed at the Muggle-born. She threw a sheepish smile and nodded. Draco then added, "We have something else they don't have. We have Harry Potter."


	6. Chapter 5

**In-Laws**

By: Tassana Burrfoot

_Chapter Five_

Harry had arranged it so that Hermione and Narcissa could see their husbands once a week. Hermione worked with a fever on the two cases while Ginny and Luna fought for Lucius' trial date. The days soon turned into weeks, the weeks into months. Without warning, Christmas started approaching.

Ginny moaned as she plopped onto the Grangers' couch. She pressed her fingers to her temple to dispel the headache that she could feel.

"What is it?" asked the haughty voice of Blaise Zabini.

Ginny glanced at the dark Slytherin and shook her head. "We were turned down again," she answered. "We were told they wouldn't be able to set a trial date until 2000. And _that's_ only if we are lucky."

"2000!" he exclaimed, sitting up in the recliner. "That's two years away! They can't expect us to allow him to remain in Azkaban all that time!"

Ginny shrugged. "What choice have we got?" she questioned. "The Wizengamot doesn't want Lucius free and they know we have enough evidence to do just that."

Blaise argued, "If we have enough evidence, then I don't understand the delay. We should just have the case thrown out."

Ginny understood the man's plight. Between Padma and Narcissa, Blaise rarely had time to himself. Not only that, but Lucius' innocence was apparent. There was no way the prosecutors would win the case.

Ginny stared at the Christmas tree. She still marvelled at the Muggles' abilities to create something so beautiful without the benefit of magic. Hermione had blushed when Mrs. Granger had added the ornaments Hermione had made as a child. Ginny thought they were sweet and had contemplated doing the same for her own children one day.

The entire house was decorated for Christmas. The fireplace had stockings hung along the mantle with holly along the top. A beautiful poinsetta wreath was hung on the brick above the mantle. Tall, ivory candlesticks sitting in brass bases adorned either end of the mantle.

The Christmas tree stood tall and proud next to the fireplace. Many colours lit the tree as decorations of every type hung from its branches. There was no singular theme to the tree. Porclien Santa Clauses danced next to Christmas elves and reindeer. Porclien children, which Mrs. Granger had called "Precious Moments," were placed delicately by a framed picture of Hermione's first Christmas. A large brightly lighted star topped all of it.

Cinnamin and sugar cookies scented the house. Even Blaise and Narcissa were affected by the beauty and granduer. Just the day before, Blaise had helped Mr. Granger and Harry put the Christmas decorations in the yard. It was a time honoured tradition for the neighbourhood. There was even a contest to see which house was decorated the best.

"I think I'm going to try to talk to Harry nto buying us a house like this," Ginny contemplated out loud. "Grimmauld Place is nice, but I want my own home. Something sweet and warm."

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "What does that have to do with this case?" he inquired.

Ginny smiled. "Absolutely nothing," she replied. "It was just a thought that occurred to me."

The Italian rolled his eyes. He had gotten lost in his own thoughts. He had been surprised when the Weasley had voiced what had been similar to his thinking.

He and Padma had been together since last year. At first, they had become friends due to their mutual interests in Draco. As time passed, they had grown to love each other.

Love was an entirely new concept for Blaise. Though he had seen it all the time with the Malfoys, he had never really experienced it himself. His mother, though she had tried, failed miserably at loving him for she didn't quite understand the concept herself.

Blaise did not blame his mother for her failures. He simply accepted them and her. He understood her needs and never complained when a new Mr. Zabini graced their doorstep.

Padma was a different matter. She introduced Blaise into the arms of a love he never knew existed. She was kind and passionate. She went beyond the common concept of love and reached out to the intimate most parts.

Blaise slipped a hand into his robes and touched the small ring. He knew it was about time to ask her. He just wanted to wait for the perfect moment: Christmas morning.

He followed Ginny's gaze to the Christmas tree. Though the house was awfully small, in his opinion, he had to admit there was a certain homey feel to it. For Muggles, the Grangers were nice people who apparently adored their daughter.

"Perhaps you're right," he said suddenly. "This house it a bit quaint, for a Muggle home. A few magical touches and I believe a house like this would be a perfect summer home."

Ginny wrinkled her nose at his snobbery, but did not rise. She knew he was trying to compliment the house, but the rich always did a poor job of that. To her, the house was incredible, with or without magic.

"You do realize Luna and I are working as hard as we can to get Lucius a trial date?" she inquired. "We aren't going to let them keep him locked up."

Blaise nodded. "I know. It just seems so hopeless. Those idiots are determined to keep him locked up. And, yes, I add your brother to that list."

"So do I," she admitted. "Thankfully, my mother, Bill, and Charlie agree with me. I think George does, too, but he's staying out of it. Father's been looking to put Lucius away for years and isn't thrilled at the idea of letting him out. Percy's always been a prat."

Blaise shook his head in amusement. "The Weasley family divided by the Malfoys," he observed. "How interesting."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

(II) (II)

Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek and laughed. "However did you manage it?"

He just shrugged. "I told you before; Shacklebolt is on our side. It didn't take much to talk him into it."

Narcissa walked into the room and looked at the friends curiously. "What's going on?" she asked, making it a point to stare at their close bodies.

Hermione caught the glance, but she didn't care. She hugged Harry closer as she spouted the good news. "We've been given permission to spend some... intimate time with our husbands. Harry says it's Shacklebolt's Christmas gift to us. But, I know it was mostly Harry's doing."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "His Christmas gift to me is a chance to shag my husband?" she questioned slowly.

"You don't have to shag him," Harry answered, pulling a face. He did not need that mental image. "You could just spend some private time with him, if you like. You could talk or do whatever you wish. It will be unmonitored, though you'll be checked thoroughly to ensure you're not hiding anything in your robes. Also, you'll be allowed to bring Christmas gifts to them which will be exchanged in the main visiting area."

"I'll get to see my son?" the older Malfoy asked.

Harry nodded. "You'll get to see your son for a bit. Then, you'll be escorted to a private room to spend time with your husband."

Hermione was smiling from ear to ear. "Shacklebolt suggested we keep to Muggle things for gifts, as well. So, Mum agreed to take us to the mall to go shopping," she said.

"And how do you plan to pay for it?" Narcissa asked. "Wizard money doesn't work in the Muggle world."

"Wizard money?" Hermione questioned, confused.

Narcissa scowled, "You're a Malfoy. Surely your husband gave you access to the family vault? Our money doesn't work here. Your parents had to pay for those baskets because the clerk wouldn't accept my money."

Hermione's eyes widened. She hadn't realized she had access to the Malfoy fortune. Not that it really mattered to her. She was content with her own bank account. Pulling away from Harry, she went to her purse. She took out two credit cards and handed one to Narcissa.

"We can use these," she offered. "I know they don't have my married name on it yet. I sent it in, but haven't gotten the replacements yet. I have you, your husband, and Draco listed as approved buyers."

"Why on Earth would you do that?" Narcissa asked, turning the card around in her hands. "What is this thing anyway?"

Hermione smiled. "It's called a credit card," she explained. "Basically, it's plastic money. You hand them this card and your ID when it's time to pay. They swipe it, return the card to you, and then you have to sign a piece of paper, and you're done. I'll show you the first few times, but it's pretty simple."

Again, Narcissa seemed confused. "What's an ID?" she asked.

Harry and Hermione shared a look. Teaching the pureblood witch was going to be difficult.

(III) (III)

Hermione received help from her parents as she and Harry brought, not only Narcissa, but Ginny, Padma, and Luna to the DMV and Gringotts. Harry had given Ginny his credit card after calling the credit card company and putting her under his name. Padma and Luna decided to exchange some of their own money into Muggle money. Narcissa wanted to do the same, but Hermione insisted that it wasn't necessary.

"If you really want to pay me back, you can just put the money into my Gringotts account," the younger Malfoy suggested.

Narcissa scoffed at the idea, but had a hundred Galleons added to Hermione's vault. "When the men get out of Azkaban, you'll have to add your vault with ours," she said scathingly.

Hermione did not comment, but she knew she had a fight on her hands. She wanted her own account.

(IV) (IV)

The moment they stepped into the mall, Hermione secretly wished they were back at the drugstore. At least there, if someone wandered off, they were easily found. The mall was an entirely different story.

Again, Hermione had to thank her parents for being there. Ginny went off with Harry. The Grangers took Narcissa with them. That left Hermine with Padma and Luna.

The Ravenclaws were fascinated by the various shops and merchandise. They gazed incredibly at all the Muggles who bustled about in their effort to catch those few, last minute items.

Hermione had to stifle several laughs. Unlike Diagon Alley, Padma and Luna couldn't levitate their packages. So, they were stuck carrying them.

"Merlin's beard!" Padma exclaimed suddenly, drawing looks from several shoppers. "They actually sell that here?!"

Hermione glanced at where Padma was pointing and couldn't help but laugh. She forgot about Victoria's Secret. She could only imagine what Narcissa said when she passed the store. The girl made a mental note to ask her parents.

"Would you like to go in?" Hermione asked once she calmed down.

Sheer curiousity led the three girls into the store. As they entered, a saleslady handed them each a shopping bag. They perused the undergarments and langerie.

"Who wears this stuff?" Padma asked, picking up a red corset and wrinkling her nose.

Hermione shrugged. "You'd be surprised. Men go crazy to see their women in garments like this. Supposedly guaranteed to spruce one's love life," she answered. "It's a shame they never sell anything in green."

"You could always transfigure it," Luna suggested, before picking up a thong. "What's this?"

Hermione turned a deep shade of pink.

(V) (V)

Several hours and tons of packages later, the witches returned to the house with the two Muggles and one frazzled wizard. For the most part, everyone was in good spirits, save Harry.

"I hate malls," he complained as he plopped down on the couch.

Ginny took a seat next to him and rested her legs on his lap. "Actually, aside from the walking, I found it rather enjoyable," she commented.

"You would," he retorted grumply as Blaise walked into the room.

The pureblood's eyes widened. He stared at Padma. "How much of my money did you spend?" he questioned.

She just smiled coyly. "Just wait until you see what I bought," was her sly reply.


	7. Chapter 6

**In-Laws**

By: Tassana Burrfoot

_Chapter Six_

Draco's eyes lit up as he stepped into the visiting room. A large smile crept upon his face. Christmas had come to the prison and it was so much better than the "Christmas stew" the guards had provided.

He glanced over to his father who seemed just as curious as he was. He could only imagine how much trouble Potter had to go through to allow this. He stood in earnest as his wife and mother entered the room.

A bright smile was displaying on Hermione's face as she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and kissed him on the lips. He was clean shaven and looked in good spirits, despite living in prison. She brought her lips up to his ear and whispered, "I have a surprise for you."

"You mean aside from the gifts and Christmas meal I know your mother made for me?" he questioned.

They kissed again, reaquainting themselves with each other's mouths before joining Lucius and Narcissa at the table. The guards had provided four chairs for the family. The two older Malfoys sat next to each other and opposite of the younger couple. To everyone's surprise, Hermione sat in Draco's lap.

"What are you doing?" he asked incrediously.

Her smile remained plastered on her face. "Why, I'm having myself a happy little Christmas, Mr. Malfoy," she responded, wriggling a bit to prove her point.

He glanced at his parents and blushed. The prim and proper purebloods just stared at the young couple. There was a slight hint of disapprovement in their gazes that Hermione seemed to ignore.

"This is from Ginny and Harry," she explained as she handed Draco a package with green paper and silver ribbon. "They didn't get you a card this time because Ginny thought it would be a bit redun..."

She stopped and looked at him curiously. He wasn't looking at her or the gift. Confused, she followed his gaze to rest upon Lucius and Narcissa's stern expressions. This just puzzled her even more. "What's wrong?" she asked, not understanding.

Narcissa sat up straight and glared at the girl. "As much as Amy and Henry pride themselves on your achievements, it seems they failed at teaching your proper etiquette," she said, haughtly.

Lucius growled. "Indeed. Are you incapable of controlling yourself, Mudblood? Perhaps you would prefer to skip gift giving all together and take Draco into the next room? Or do you intend to continue this blatant display of debauchary in front of my wife and myself? I assure you, I am not amused," he spoke with a calm sarcasm that cut through Hermione like a knife through butter.

Hermione was astounded by the accusations. She hadn't evn noticed Lucius' "pet name" for her. It was the obvious innuendos he painted for her that spoke clear words: her behaviour was unacceptable.

She glanced at Draco who gave her an apologetic smile. He gently patted the chair next to him, indicating she take it. Shocked that the Malfoys seemed disinclined to accept her bold move, a move she had _never_ done before, Hermione obeyed her husband.

Draco took her hand into his and kissed the back of it. He gave her a reassuring smirk and turned to the presents. But, apparently, his parents weren't finished talking.

Lucius sighed, "Narcissa, perhaps you could help the Mudblood. I realize her parents aren't paupers by any means, but they certainly lack the ideals and delicacies of high society. Since you are staying at her parents' home with her, you could show her such things and prepare her for her upcoming introduction. I've no doubt that as soon as Draco and I are out of this hell hole, he'll want to introduce her into society. I do not wish for her to do or say something that might offend someone important. Being as... modest as she is, I'd hate for something as simple as tea time to become a fiasco."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "I do not believe we'll be able to avoid such a thing, darling," she commented. "The moment our society sees her, they'll be shocked and offended. No doubt they'll think that the Malfoys have turned blood traitor and have purposely set out to taint our slight stock."

Lucius, though he obvious agreed with her, countered, "This is Draco's choice, my love. And you are a good teacher. From what I was able to gather from the Mudblood's school records, she's a fast learner and hard worker. Even Severus had commented on her intelligence from time to time.

"As for society's acceptance," he added, "with your guidance, they wouldn't dare see her as anything other than a Malfoy. Once Draco and I are out of Azkaban, we'll be able to put those catty dogs under our heels again."

"Stop it!" Hermione shouted suddenly. She stood up so fast, her chair toppled backward onto the floor. Her face was red with anger and her chest heaved. "I will _not_ have you talk of me as though I'm not here..."

"Hermione..." Draco started hesitantly.

"No, Draco," she interrupted him. "I think your parents have forgotten who I am. I'm not just some silly Mudblood willing to bend to every command without thought or question." She glared at Lucius, who returned with an icy look meant to intimidate. "And you _will_ stop insulting me. In case you've forgotten, _this_ Mudblood is saving _your _arse. I don't mind nicknames, but pick something else!"

Hermione knew the importance of standing up to this family. Regardless of her love, the Malfoys were wealthy pureblood who were extremely conservative. Though Draco was slowly learning to be more open, he still had a long way to go.

"It's me, Lucius," she continued her rant, staring unblinkingly at the oldest and most prominent Malfoy. "I wake up every morning at five to work on _your_ case. I send _my_ friends to the Ministry the moment it opens up to fight for _you_. The only reason I don't go myself is because I'm too busy collecting evidence and building a solid case. I eat very little and sometimes go to bed as late as three in the morning. _My_ friend is the reason why you get to see Narcissa for Christmas._ My_ friend is the reason your face is clean shaven and you're allowed certain comforts. Were it not for _me_, you'd still be in your cell rotting away while waiting for a trial date that would never come. No one in the Ministry gives a damn about what happens to the Malfoys. They don't care if _our_ family dies. To them, it would be a blessing."

She sighed as she picked up her chair and sat back down upon it. "I'm not trying to impress you," she told him, still focusing soley on Lucius. "Ever since I've met you, you've treated me as nothing more than a stupid Mudblood not even worthy of a second glance. This stupid Mudblood married your son. _He_ asked me to marry _him_. I accepted, we signed the paper work, then we consummated. I'm as much a part of this family as Narcissa."

Draco touched her arm. He could see the tears brimming in her golden eyes. "Darling," he whispered, "no one meant to insult you..."

_"You_ did not insult me," she corrected. "They did."

"Hermione, when you act like a brazen slag, you are treated as one," Narcissa explained. "Proper ladies do not sit on their husbands' laps while in company."

The young Gryffindor sighed, "I know how to act like a lady. Believe it or not, my parents _did_ teach me proper etiquette. I just didn't expect to have to be so formal in front of my own family."

(II) (II)

Hermione growled in frustration as she paced up and down the small room. Gifts had been exchanged and the guards had led her into a private room with her husband.

"Would you stop pacing?" Draco snipped in annoyance. "You look like a caged animal."

She rounded on him. "I can't believe you just sat there and did nothing! Why didn't you say anything?" she demanded.

He raised an eyebrow. "Seemed to me you had everything under control," he answered, picking the dirt out from under his nails. He needed a manicure. "Besides, you didn't give me much room _to_ say anything. The moment my father finished his little speech, you were on him like a hippogriff."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she snapped sarcastically. "Far be it for me to _not_ say something when I'm insulted. Though, I would have thought listening to your father calling me a 'Mudblood' would have sparked some kind of response from you. Or, better yet, when he asked your mother to teach me the 'ideals and delicacies of high society' because, Merlin forbid, something 'as simple as tea time' becomes a 'fiasco'!"

His eyes widened incrediously. "How do you do that?" he questioned. "How is it that you are able to remember everything someone says so easily?"

"Does it really matter?" she snapped "The point is, instead of coming to my defense, you just sat there!"

"What was I supposed to do?" he demanded. "You wouldn't let anyone get a word in. Actually, I was exceptionally pleased with how you handled yourself, especially considering how my parents were treating you, calling you a Mudblood and a slag."

"Neverminding, of course, the fact that just about every Slytherin girl in school had shagged about half the school population before we made it to fourth year, while I remained a virgin until my wedding night?" she asked. "Those pureblood bitches become ladies while I become a prude. Or worse, a Mudblood slag."

Draco gave her a confused look. He thought about mentioning the fact tat they hadn't had a wedding yet, thereby she hadn't lost her virginity on her wedding night. Luckily, his brain was faster and smarter than his mouth and he managed to restrain his thought before it ruined his night. She believed their night of consummation had been their wedding night. Okay. He could go along with that idea. So, instead, he asked, "Speaking of weddings, when _are_ you going to start planning ours? I'm very much looking forward to our honeymoon in Cancun."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not finished, so don't change the subject," she growled.

"Hermione," he said patiently, "I understand your anger. But, darling, what do you want me to do about it? No matter what I say, you'll never be good enough as far as they are concerned. You're a Muggle-born. To them, that means you are 'tainted'. Actually, my father's idea is pretty sound when you think of it. It'll give my mother something else to focus on and she'll be able to relax and forget your parentage."

"How can she forget? She lives with us," she inquired, not convinced.

He smirked. "My mother suffers from a one-track mind," he told her. "This distraction will drive all other negative thoughts from her. She'll become focused on getting you ready."

"What if I don't _want_ to be ready?" she pouted as she plopped onto the bed next to him. She looked at him with large brown eyes. "It's not like I'll fit in anyway. I can just stay home and..."

"Be my secret wife?" he suggested. He was a bit surprised by her uncharacteristic demeanour, but he didn't let it fool hi. "No, Hermione. We are a married couple now and I will not have you hide in the shadows. I want you by my side when we attend banquets and parties. I want every pureblood from here to Russia to know that a Malfoy has chosen to marry a Muggle-born. I'm looking forward to te jealous glares you'll receive from the countless pureblood debutantes."

She gave him a bizzare look, then giggled. "Can you imagine the looks on Pansy Parkenson and Millicent Bullstrode's faces when you walk into a room with me latched onto your arm?"

He could see the evil gleam in her eyes and laughed, "There's the Mrs. Malfoy I married! Devious as always."

She smiled. "That reminds me," she cooed, gently touchng his shoulder. "You have yet to open your last Christmas gift."

He gave her a sly smirk. "And what might that be?" he asked, feigning innocence.

She stood up and moved in front of him. Without warning, she dropped her robe to reveal an outfit that made his jaw drop and his member tighten painfully. His eyes trailed to her feet and gradually worked their way up.

Polished black Mary Janes accented white knee-high stockings. The knee-highs were held up by azure garners with baby blue lace and were centered with large oval blue sapphires. She wore an azure boutierre with baby blue lace and a matching bikini bottom. Between her breasts was a large marqui cut blue sapphire.

As his eyes travelled up her body, he could feel his own body grow rigid. His heart pounded like a drum and his mouth began to salvatate. Finally, his eyes met hers. Those innocent honey orbs that he had fallen hopelessly in love with reflected his...

Desire. That's all she could see in his warm, stormy eyes. A deep yearning for something they had been denied for far too long was between them in mounting electricity. She approached him cautiously. Her heart was pounding in her chest as her stomach did flipflops. She was nervous and excited. She was shy, yet proud. She felt brave and weak all at the same time.

He stood up and closed the gap between them. Though he raised his hands to either side of her, he was afraid to touch her. Afraid this might be a dream, that she would disappear or ripple like water if touched.

Trembling, she reached up and lightly touched his jawline with her fingertips. That small, simple touch send the electricity in the air off like fireworks. He wrapped his arms around her waist and crushed her into him. His mouth crashed down upon her and he drank her essence. He savoured every bit of her, like a fine wine aged with absolute prefection.

He pulled her closer, pressing his arousal against her stomach. As they kissed, he directed her towards the bed. His need was great. He glided his hands over the lace and sliky material and moaned against her mouth. He eased her onto the bed and cupped one breast gently.

The room was too hot, the clothes too constricting. Draco broke the kiss and pulled his shirt up and over his head. He tossed the atrocity onto the floor and pressed his lips against hers again.

She ran her fingertips along his bare chest and revelled in the smooth, hard feel of the skin and muscle. Prison life made him lose weight, but somehow he had been able to maintain his Seeker-ready muscles. She let her hands slide to his back as he pressed her further into the hard mattress. She felt his arousal press against her core and she yearned to remove the barriers.

He, too, wanted to remove those barriers. He yearned to be inside her, to combine their hearts and souls as they had done before. He brought her to a sitting position and untied the back of the boustierre. He loosened the strings which held it tight to her body. Breaking the kiss again, he pulled the silk fabric over her head and, like his shirt, tossed it away.

His callous, dry fingers slid softly over her delicate skin. He placed feather light kisses along her jawline and trailed down her neck to rest upon her breasts. He hungered for the taste of her skin and wasted no time licking her nipple before taking it into his mouth and sucking. He let his fingers play with the other breast as his mouth and tongue studied the first one. Then, he switched, bringing his mouth to the other breast as his hand fondled the first.

Hermione moaned, her lips slightly parted as he head fell back. Her fingers had gone from racking his back to running through his silky blond tresses. She wrapped her legs around his waist and tries to pull him closer. He chuckled. His hot, seedy breath tickled her sensitive breast.

"Not yet, my vixen," he rasped. "I wish to savour every bit of you and burn it into my memory."

A thought occurred to her as she felt the tip of his hard pecker graze her inner thigh. Without warning, she rolled over him so he was forced onto his back. She then sat on his thighs and threw him a lustful smirk.

Surprised, he questioned, "What are you doing?"

She trailed her fingertips down his upper torso all the way to his navel in a zigzag and continued smiling. "Sending you over the edge," was the only answer she gave.

She unbuttoned his trousers and released his erection. The last time they had made love, she barely got a chance to see it, much less touch it. This time, she planned to remedy that. All nervousness and fear vanished as she ran her fingertips along his shaft. She glanced up at him when he hissed and was pleased to see his body arch upward.

The moment her fingertips touched him, Draco closed his eyes tightly. Her fingers slid up and down his shaft and Draco moaned in pleasure. Then, she did something he had never expected her to do. The tip of her innocent tongue licked the head of his manhood. He shuddered under the touch. He quickly sat up and grabbed her by the shoulders. Kissing her lips, he regained control of the situation.

He lay her on her back and pulled her knickers off of her. He could see she was wet and ready. He gently grazed her inner thigh with his forefinger before slipping it into her center. Oh, yes. She was ready for him. The moan he had illicited from his touch confirmed his belief. He played with her a little bit, sliding his finger in and out and rubbing her clitoris with his thumb.

Then, he slipped his finger out of her and gently replaced it with his manhood. All thoughts left both of them as they began the traditional dance at a slow, steady pace. He drove into her as though it would be their last pairing. As his strokes became stronger and faster, their voices began singing the time-honoured tune of lovers. Every breath, every moan, every gasp was done to the rhythm of his strokes. She kept time with his thrusts, throwing her body into the dance with fever. As one, they released their energy onto one another. Draco gave a final thrust and shot his seed deep within her core. She milked him for every last drop.

Trembling, Draco lowered his body onto the mattress next to her, careful not to pull out of her. He wanted to connection to remain as long as possible. She seemed to understand this, for she snuggled up against him and let her leg drape across his body, as he moved to lay on his back and half way under her.

Hermone did not know how long they lay there, intimately entwined. She knew they had both fallen asleep for when she opened her eyes, his was still perfectly shut. "I love you," she whispered into his ear.

A smile spread across his lips. He loved hearing her say those three little words. "I love you, too," he returned, the words coming from his heart.

She gntly rubbed his chest. "I wish you could come home. I miss you so much. Everyday is torture for me," she confessed.

He opened his eyes and glanced down at her. His fingers were curled in her hair. "Would you like to know a secret?" he asked.

Curiously piqued, she nodded. He gently withdrew from her, groaning his protest of havng to slip out of her. However, it was necessary for his secret lay within the pocket of his shirt and his shirt lay on the floor.

Sometime during their lovemaking, Draco had shed his trousers. As he bent to pick up his shirt, Hermione gave a wolf whistle. "Darling, you are so hot," she teased.

Grabbing his shirt, he stood up straight and smirked at her. "I will not deny that, though I'm not as hot as you are wearing nothing but those knee-highs and shoes," he taunted.

He returned to the bed with his shirt in hand. Reaching into the pocket, he pulled out a picture and handed it to her. "I've had that since fourth year," he told her.

She looked at the picture and was floored. It was a picture of herself at the Yule Ball. She was laughing at something Viktor Krum had said and dancing. She looked up at Draco with tears in her eyes. "Where did you get this?"

His smug smirk changed into a soft smile. "I bought it from that Creevey kid," he explained, "shortly after the ball. I knew he had been taking pictures and, with you being one of the Golden Trio, I knew he had taken pictures of you. We negotiated a bit before he finally agreed to let me buy it."

"But, why?" she pressed. "Why would you want this picture? I was a Mudblood. You hated me."

He shook his head. "I _wanted_ to hate you," he replied. " Ever since I met you, I wanted to hate you. You're right. You are Muggle-born, therefore I _should_ hate you. For the longest time, I denied any and all feelings towards you.

"You were, forgive me, a Mudblood. And I told myself that time and again. But, you were also smart and witty. I purposely tried to hurt you, both emotionally and physically, because I refused to admit how I felt. I called you Mudblood and wished aloud for your death."

He let his gaze fall to his hands. "As time went on, I knew it was hopeless. I had never seen anyone so beautiful as you when you stepped into the Great Hall. You were a goddess. You _are_ a goddess. You are Athena reborn into this world. And I feared I had severed my chances with you.

"Then, I remembered I never had a chance with you," he said, his voice broken and filled with sorrow. "I carried that picture with me everywhere. Every night I dreamed of marrying you, of being with you. No matter how many girls I slept with, I couldn't get the thought of you out of my mind."

He grew quiet for a moment, but Hermione said nothing. She was shocked by his confession and thought there might be more. She was right.

He reached over and gently took the picture from her. He gazed lovingly into the picture as he continued, "The night my father failed to get the prophecy, the Dark Lord went into a rage. He sent my father to Azkaban and separated my mother and me. I was forced into the cellar of my own home with nothing save the clothes on my back and my wand. I was left in there for nearly a week. No food, no water. I thought I was going to die."

Her hand covered her mouth in horror as he continued, "When he finally came into the cellar, he tortured me. Over and over he hit me with the Cruciatus. Through the pain, I heard him tell me of my parents' peril. He told me of a job, though he did not tell me what it was. When I could finally take no more pain, I thought of the only person I knew who could save me. I thought of you. I don't know what I did, or how, but I whispered your name and fell into darkness.

"Next thing I knew, I was lying on your living room floor covered in blood and broken glass," he finished. He threw her a smirk. "The rest is history."

Tears rolled freely from Hermione's eyes. She never expected him to reveal so much to her. To know what he had ben through shocked her to the core. To know the depth of his love for her shocked her even more.

"All those years," she whispered, "all those years I thought you hated me."

He touched her cheek and kissed her forehead. Silver eyes met golden one as he responded, "All those years... I believed I did, too."


	8. Chapter 7

**In-Laws**

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter Seven

As Hermione sat at the kitchen table, she reflectd over the Christmas Eve she had shared with Draco. It had been a heartfelt and incredible moment.

For someone who was "smart and witty" and "Athena reborn," she never would have guessed that by fourth year, Draco Malfoy had fallen in love with her. The news had surprised her. All that time...

She smiled softly as she thought about what happened next. They made love again, twice. Then, they cuddled in each others' arms until the warden knocked on the door with a thirty minute warning. They dressed and went through the gifts Draco had received.

"I wish I could have gotten you something," he told her, remorsely.

She just smiled sweetly. "I already have my gift. I have you," she assured him.

His smile was bitter. "Yes, you have a husband who wears stripes and sleeps in a dingy box. Perfect gift! What hadn't I thought of it before?" he quipped sarcastically.

She frowned. "I didn't mean..."

"I know," he told her, sighing. "I'm sorry, darling. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just... I should be the one showering you with gifts. Not the other way around."

Remembering his comment from earlier, she gave him a coy smile. "Yes, well, goddesses tend to give. It's our way of ensuring we'll be worshipped endlessly."

His smile turned guinuine. "Yes, well, once you've tasted ambrosia, nothing else can satisfy your hunger. And I've had more than one taste of it."

Hermione giggled at the memory. She never knew a person could make someone feel so special. She glanced down at the piece of parchment and smiled. She couldn't wait to bring Draco home.

(II) (II)

Two months later...

Hermione glared at the red-haired man across the table. Never had she expected it to come down to this. "I thought we were friends," she growled, hurt etched in her voice.

"We are friends, Hermione," he told her, looking from her to Harry.

Harry sat to her right and Blaise to her left. It was the Slytherin who gave the scathing remark, "Could've fooled me. Last I checked, friends didn't pit themselves against one another."

"What would a Slytherin slimeball like you know about friendship?" Ron retorted.

Blaise's calm, haughty demeanor did not waver as he opened the folder before him and flipped through the paperwork. He replied, "Apparently more than a grimy Gryffindor like yourself."

"That's enough, Blaise," Hermione reprimanded. "We did not come here to throw names at one another."

"Hermione is right," Harry agreed as he extracted the necessary files from his briefcase and placed them on the table. "Are you sure you want to pursue this case, Ron? We have more than enough evidence in this folder alone to have this case tossed out the window even before our witnesses get a chance to state their cases. We also have more than three witnesses, myself including, willing to testify on the Malfoys' behalf."

"The point is, this is a waste of time," Hermione sighed, rubbing her temple with two fingers. "You knew from the beginning it was a waste of time, Ronald. Furthermore, you know this is wrong. Regardless of how Draco treated you... treated us in school, he's innocent. You know he's innocent. And so is Lucius."

"Oh, Daddy Malfoy's letting you call him by his first name now, is he?" Ron replied, sarcasm dripping like venom. "I don't care what you say, Hermione. Those men deserve to rot in Azkaban. They were Death Eaters and murderers."

She sat up straight and narrowed her eyes at him. "What proof do you have? Draco's never killed anyone. And neither has Lucius. Draco was a boy and at school when he supposedly attempted to murder you and Katie. His punishment rested in the hands of the headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore chose not to do anything about it, especially since neither you nor Katie actually died and it was an accident. Therefore, those two charges will be dismissed before you can even mention them in the proceedings."

"Let me ask you something, Weasley," Blaise said suddenly. He did not look up, but rather studied his perfectly manicured fingers. "Let's pretend for a moment, shall we? Let's say you had been in either Lucius or Draco's position. The Dark Lord was threatening your family's lives unless you did exactly as he asked. Would you have stood by and let him kill them all? And then, for fun, kill you?"

Ron's ears reddened. "I would have gone to Dumbledore," he answered without hesitation.

"Ah, but going to Dumbledore is not an option. Pay attention, Weasley," Blaise sneered, flicking his eyes towards the red-head and then back to his own fingers. "You get two choices: either do as you are told or watch as each member of your family is tortured and murdered. I wonder how you would react having to watch your mother and sister get raped by several men as your brothers and father are put through the Cruciatus just for being related to you."

Ron stood up and slapped his palms on the table. "Are you threatening my family?!" he snarled.

For the first time, Blaise raised his head and looked at the Gryffindor. He gave the man a cold, hard stare. "No," he replied, calmly. "I am asking you a question. Before you judge others and what they do, put yourself in their position. Or are you even capable of compassion? We both know this has nothing to do with Lucius or Draco. It is not Draco's fault that Hermione chose him over you. Nor is it Hermione's fault. True love happens. And those two were in love long before any of us could even understand the full concept of love. Stop putting this family through hell. Especially when you don't even really love her."

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Ron just stared at Blaise in blunt shock. Finally, he managed to growl, though his voice was a bit deflated, "What are you on about? Of course I love her!"

Blaise just raised an eyebrow and snorted. "Really? Then how come you can't let her go?" he asked. "Where is your Gryffindor courage, Weasley? Why are you doing this to her? Can't you see she's suffering? Are you so selfish in your 'love' that you have to hurt her? You're more Slytherin then I thought."

Ron and Hermione stared at one another. For the first time in his life, Ron saw the hurt in her eyes. He studied her for a long moment. Her face was devoid of the laughter and cheer he had remembered from their school days There was a sadness in her eyes and a longing for this to end. She had bags under her eyes and he knew she hadn't had much sleep these past months.

He knew Hermione well and knew she had been working delligently on this case. No doubt she was the last person to bed and the first person awake. From the sag of her shoulders, he knew she most likely spent most of her days haunched over wizarding law texts and parchment.

Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun that reminded Ron of stressed out secretaries. He could see where someone, possibly his sister or some other girl, tried to make up Hermione for this meeting. But, Hermione carried none of the glamour that she was meant to carry. She was tired, sad, and hurt.

The weight of the realization that he had caused this bore down upon Ron as though Atlas had given him to world to hold. It was too much for him to bear. Without a word, he stood, turned on his heel, and walked out of the room.


	9. Chapter 8

In Laws

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter Eight

Draco sat back down on his small cot. His hair was combed, teeth brushed, and he was clean. He looked spectacular and felt wonderful. Though his days in Azkaban were dreadful, he looked forward to days like today. Because he knew that today he would see his family.

Hermione had sent him a missive informing him that she and his mother would be visiting. Since these visits included his father as well, the entire Malfoy family would be together for a little while. This meant the world to Draco. He loved his family more than he could ever imagine.

A light smile played on his lips as he turned his attention to one of the many books Hermione's father had given him. The first time he had seen the books, he thought they were books about dragons. Well, it was called Dragonlance, so his thought process was only natural. But, then he began to read the books. While the books definitely had dragons in them, it wasn't what they were all about. He read in fascination and marvelled how Muggles viewed elves as beautiful creatures and goblins as evil. (Then again, the Gringotts goblins icould be/i evil...)

He certainly saw simularities between Raistlin Majere and the Dark Lord. He pictured himself somewhat like Tanis Half-Elven or even, with a sniff, Porthios Kanan. Fizban was definitely Dumbledore and, with a laugh, Professor Flitwick could almost be like Tasslehoff Burrfoot. Were the characters real, Draco imagined Professor Snape and Flint Fireforge would have a lot in common. As would his Hermione and... he thought a moment, then sighed.

Laurana Kanan was everything Hermione was, in Draco's opinion: beautiful, smart, cunning, and brave. The main difference between the two, aside from race, were looks, really. Laurana was supposedly pale skinned, blond haired, and blue eyed.

With a smile, he began to delve into his book. He was just thinking that Harry Potter could be like Riverwind when he heard his cell door open. He looked up from his book to find his guard standing there. His brows furrowed. Were they here all ready?

"Mr. Malfoy, I am to escort you to the waiting dock," the guard announced as he handed Draco a sack. "Pack your belongings and follow me."

Draco took the sack, but stared at the guard in confusion. "I don't understand," he said.

"You're being released, sir," the guard explained.

Draco dropped the book and the sack. "What?" he stammered as his eyes widened. "But..."

"No more questions, Mr. Malfoy," the guard said irritably. "Pack your belongings and move."

Draco decided not to argue with the guard. Working as quickly as he could, Draco packed the few belongings he had, making sure to take special care with the snowglobe, seeing as it was glass. Had Hermione found a way to get him out? What about his father?

The latter question was answered the moment Draco stepped onto the dock. "Father?" he said, drawing the older Malfoy's attention.

Lucius gave a slight nod to his son, then turned his attention back to the warden. "Is there a reasoning behind this release?" he asked, curiously.

In answer, the warden waved a hand to a person wearing a hooded black cloak. Draco was about to call to the person, thinking it was Hermione, but then he noticed that this person, whomever they were, was too tall and broad shouldered to be Hermione.

"Hermione's been right all along," said a voice Draco recognized but could not place. "I knew she was right. I just didn't want to admit it. She loves you, Malfoy. I don't know why, but she does. And, well... I love her."

As recognition dawned on Draco, the hooded figure drew back their hood to reveal none other than Ronald Weasley. Draco's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why exactly are we being released, Weasley?" he asked.

"All charges have been dropped," Ron replied. "The prosecuting attorney found the defense had too much evidence. The case, both cases, would have been dropped before even the first witness could be called. It would have been a waste of time and energy on everyone's part. Hermione did her homework, just like she always does. You and your dad are free."

Ron saw that Draco wanted to pursue the matter more, but he held his hand up and stilled the Slytherin's questions. "I was wrong. I see that now and I admit it. You and I will probably never like each other, and that's fine with me. But, we both have something in common. We both love a woman who deserves to be loved. I may not be able to correct all the wrongs I've done, but I will try to correct as many as I can. You should, too. She needs you, Malfoy. Go to her and stop questioning it."

Draco bit down on the questions he had. Instead, he asked, "Does she know?"

Ron shook his head. "The only one who knows is Harry and he's agreed not to say anything. We thought you and your father might want to surprise them. They are staying with Mr. and Mrs. Granger."

Lucius shook his head. "Not for long," he replied as the guard handed Draco his wand.

Draco watched as his father boarded the boat. He began to follow, but turned back to Ron for a moment. "I don't know if I should thank you or hate you," he said, his face contorted in confusion.

Ron gave a half smile. "I don't expect the former, Malfoy. Just do me a favour? Take care of Hermione."

The Slytherin gave a nod and boarded the boat.

(II) (II)

Drumming her fingers on a law book, Hermione sat at the kitchen table with a bored look on her face. There was nothing left to do. The cases were, in almost every sense of the word, finished. She had meticiously gone over them too many times to count. All she needed were court dates. She was completely ready.

Her mother gave her a soft smile. "Why don't you rest for a bit, my dear?" she suggested.

The girl shook her head. "I'd rather not. I just don't know what else I can do," she complained. "Mrs. Malfoy and I are leaving in a few hours to go see Mr. Malfoy and Draco. I'm thinking about going to the Ministry to help out Ginny and Luna for a little while."

"They don't need your help," Blaise told her, not looking up from his Daily Prophet.

A rapping at the window caused the three to look up. Amy opened the window to invite a large barn owl into the kitchen. It landed in front of Hermione and held out it's leg, revealing a scroll. Hermione untied the scroll from the bird's leg and gave the bird a bit of ham from her plate.

Curious, Hermione unrolled the parchment, but was confused by it's contents. Six words were written in green ink: "I have a surprise for you."

She showed the parchment to an equally curious Blaise. "I don't understand," she told him. He shrugged his shoulders in confusion.

Just then, the doorbell rang. They heard Narcissa announce that she would answer it. A few moments later, the woman screamed.

Alarmed, Hermione and Blaise drew their wands and ran into the living room. Amy followed behind them brandishing a skillet.

"You're not intending on hexing us, are you, Hermione?" Draco asked with a smirk.

Hermione gave her own squeal of surprise as she dropped her wand and rushed to him. Throwing herself into his arms, she kissed him with every ounce of energy she had. She felt his arms wrap around her longingly.

Blaise watched the scene in awe. The four Malfoys exchanged hugs, though he noticed the elder Malfoys did not hug Hermione. The Malfoy men turned their attention back to their own wives and shared kissed. Finally, Blaise found his voice. "How is it that you are out of prison?" he asked, not entirely sure he wanted to know the answer.

Lucius broke away from his wife and looked at the dark skinned Slytherin. "We were released. According to the prosecutors, there was too much evidence in our favour. So, to save face, the charges were dropped," he responded, then kissed his wife softly on the cheek.

Henry stood on the stairway. Having heard the women scream, he had ran from his office holding his bat. Seeing the women were safe, he dropped the bat and continued down the stairs.

Narcissa smiled at the Muggle man. "Lucius, I would like you to meet Henry and Amy Granger," she introduced. "They are two of the most decent Muggles I have ever met."

Amy blushed at the compliment as Henry held his hand out to Lucius. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Lucius," he greeted. The pureblood did not accept what was intended to be a handshake, and Henry dropped his hand to his side. "Draco and Narcissa have told us so much about you."

Amy nodded in agreement. "We've been looking forward to meeting you," she added.

Lucius responded with a simple nod of his head. Narcissa made a face at his rudeness, but knew better than to speak up. In time, she hoped he would see what she saw in the two Muggles. Though she would never consider herself a Muggle-lover by any means, she found she could get along quite well with Hermione's parents.

Laughing, Draco softly broke away from Hermione. "You're not happy to see me, are you?" he teased.

She wrinkled her nose. "Not at all," she returned sarcastically. "What would make you think I'd iwant/i to see you?"

He smiled and glanced around the room. He shook hands with Henry, placed a kiss on Amy's cheek, and hugged Blaise.

Clapping her hands together, Amy announced happily, "This calls for a celebration! If you don't mind staying for dinner, Narcissa, I can fix us something wonderful to eat. Ginny and Luna should be..."

Before Amy could finish her sentence, a greem flame flickered in the fireplace. Seconds later, Ginny emerged, followed immediately by Luna. Excitement in her eyes, Ginny practically ran to Hermion. "You will never guess..." she started, then stopped as she saw who was in the room. "Nevermind."

Luna bounded to Draco and, to his surprise, hugged him. She further shocked him by giving him a kiss on the cheek. "It's so good to see you again, Draco," she told him. "We were just about to demand a court date for your father when Minister Shacklebolt informed us of your release. I'm so happy for you."

He gave her a friendly smile, but was at a loss of what to say. Amy looked at Ginny and broke the awkward silence. "We were just planning a celebration in honour of Lucius and Draco's release. If you and Luna would like to join us, you're more than welcome," she said. She looked at Blaise and added, "You and Padma as well, Blaise."

Narcissa agreed. "You've all worked so hard to bring my family back together. I can't thank you enough," she said, happy tears in her eyes.

Lucius gave her an incredulous look. "You actually wish to dine here?" he inquired. "I thought we would go home."

Narcissa pinched her lips. "Dinner won't hurt us. Amy is a marvelous chef," she responded, not really caring for her husband's attitude. "We can leave as soon as dinner is over."

Ginny's eyes narrowed when Lucius glared at his wife. "What's wrong, Mr. Malfoy? Worried about dining with your new Muggle family? Or worried you might be seen among Muggles and blood traitors and be accidentally mistaken as one?" she challenged.

Tension was as thick as electricity in the room as Lucius turned his glare on Ginny. Energy snapped, krackled, and popped all around them. If looks could kill, Ginny would have died on the spot.

Then, almost as though nothing happened, Lucius' gaze softened. His frown turned into a cocky smile that showed Hermione exactly where Draco had gotten it from. The elder Malfoy replied, "Not at all, Miss Weasley. Actually, I had hoped we would dine at Malfoy Manor. Mrs. Granger has been cooking for my wife all these months, and I do believe she has earned a break from the kitchen. Besides, our table would be much more accomadating for the amount of people which will be served."

Hermione felt everything in her body sink. Malfoy Manor? She had no desire to ever return to that place. Unfortunately, only one person had seen her reaction. As everyone else agreed to go, Ginny gazed at her friend in concern.

Draco threw an arm around Hermione's waist. So preoccupied with the idea of returning home, he did not even realize how much she leaned on him. He smiled. "It's settled then. We shall go to Malfoy Manor."


	10. Chapter 9

In Laws

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter Nine

They had taken cars out of Surrey and to Whitshire, but then Narcissa had a clever idea. They stopped at a local pub and waited while the witch Apparated home. She returned shortly with three threstral-drawn carriages. At first, Amy and Henry had been apprehensive about boarding the seemingly horseless vehicles, but Narcissa assured them everything would be alright.

Being the gentleman Draco was, and heir to the Malfoy Estate, he took it upon himself to ensure everyone was seated comfortably in the carriages. He helped Amy and Henry into the carriage with his mother and father, then helped Luna take the third carriage along with Blaise and Padma. Once they were situated, he joined Harry, Ginny, and Hermione in the second carriage.

He was so excited to be returning home that, at first, he didn't notice the sullen look in Harry's eyes, nor the concern shining in Ginny's. It wasn't until the carriage lurched into movement that he felt Hermione's shudder and paid any of them any attention.

Concern washed over him as he took in their states, especially Hermione's. He had known Hermione since the beginning of their Hogwarts careers and had never seen her so frightened. She stared down at her fingers, where she twiddled her thumbs nervously.

Finally, Ginny spoke up, "It's going to be alright, Hermione."

The Muggle-born said nothing, just continued to stare into her lap. It took a moment for realization to sink in for Draco. Then, he remembered. Malfoy Manor had been where Hermione had been tortured by his Aunt Bellatrix. It was something that had played in his nightmares over and over again. It was something he knew she would never forget. Worried, he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

Harry shook his head. "This was a horrible idea," he commented, for he, too, remembered Hermione's torture.

Draco rocked his wife and softly sang a Latin lullaby. When he finished, he whispered, "I promise nothing will happen. Bellatrix is dead now. There is no one alive who will harm you."

Hermione shuddered and Draco could feel her tears through his shirt. It pained him to see her this way. He hadn't known that returning to the manor would have this affect on her. "Would you like us to turn back?"

She gazed up into his soft, warm gray eye and shook her head. "I'll be okay," she said, shakily. "I just... just keep me from the drawing room."

He nodded quietly and returned to his gentle rocking and cooing.

The two couples remained quiet throughout the journey, the only sounds coming from Draco's whispered words in Latin. He focused solely on his wife, helping her to prepare herself for the upcoming trial. He knew what it was like to be tortured. Hell, Bellatrix had tortured him as well. He knew there were no words for comfort he could offer Hermione.

Ginny was nervous. She had heard of Malfoy Manor from her father, but had never actually seen it. Even Arthur Weasley had been impressed by its undeniable beauty. Ginny just hoped it lived up to her expectations.

Harry was not happy to be returning at all. Though this return was much different from his last venture, he couldn't suppress a feeling of foreboding. He could hear the rattle of the venomous snake, though he could not see it.

"Sweet Merlin!" Ginny exclaimed, causing everyone in the carriage to hurriedly look up. She pointed to a spot out the window and behind Draco and Hermione.

Draco turned in his seat and looked out the window. Though his wife was distressed, he couldn't help the smile that crept on his face. He was home.

Harry was shocked. He hadn't remembered the manor looking like this. They passed under a stone arch which was carved to resemble a snake. The land on either side of them was littered with lush green grass and blue bonnets. The dirt road was lined with evenly separated oleander bushes so one may easily see the large meadow behind them. Large white oaks were stationed like guardians throughout the land.

Hermione chanced a glance out the window and gasped. Perhaps it was the lingering daylight, or maybe the lack of sinister intent upon entrance, but she found the world around her quite different from what it once was. Though she quickly took note of the oleander shrubs (didn't Lucius know oleander was deadly?), she couldn't deny the abrupt beauty. This was not the place she had been to before.

The manor soom came into view and Ginny squealled in excitement. She suddenly found it hard to believe that anything evil could have ever existed in those sparkling stone walls. Everything was just too beautiful.

Harry and Hermione were both astounded by the breath-taking view. Malfoy Manor was definitely perfection in the daylight.

As their carriage lurched to a halt, Draco opened the door and stepped out. Harry followed behind him and they helped the girls out.

Once everyone was out of the carriages, they started a sort of procession into the entrance hall of the manor. Lucius and Narcissa entered first, followed by Draco and Hermione, followed by Amy and Henry, followed by Harry and Ginny, followed by Blaise and Padma. Luna skipped alongside the group, darting from Draco to Blaise and back again, like a wily pup.

"Narcissa, have the house elves fix us a grand dinner," Lucius easily ordered as he allowed his wife to help him out of his cloak. "Make sure they are careful to add some Muggle friendly foods."

"All ready done, darling," Narcissa preened, turning so her husband could remove her cloak. "I spoke with the elves when I fetched the carriages. Dinner should be ready."

"Pity. I had hoped to provide our guests with some entertainment before the meal," Lucius commented. "No matter. We shall dine first and entertain later. Probably best that way, anyway."

Hermione gave Draco a nervous glance. He nodded once, then spoke up, "Father? Might I make a suggestion? I know we normally entertain in the drawing room, but I thought perhaps we could go into the study or even the library."

"Rubbish," Lucius snorted, throwing his son a distasteful look. "Why on Earth would we do that? What's wrong with the drawing room?"

"Please, sir," Hermione piped up, politely, "I beg of you. It's difficult enough for me to be here, much less to step foot into that room. I understand this may unbalance your plans a bit, but I cannot return there."

If Amy and Henry had known of Hermione's torture in the Malfoy Manor, they never would have agreed to dine there. As it was, they were the only ones who knew nothing. And no one deigned to elaborate on Hermione's fear.

Lucius turned his icy gaze onto Hermione. She thought for sure he was going to refuse her request. To her surprise, his glare became softer. He even gave her a smile. "Very well, Ms. Malfoy. We shall take a tour of the manor instead. I'm sure your parents and friends would enjoy that much more."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, but Lucius wasn't finished. He looked to his son and said, "Draco, why don't you escort Mrs. Granger to the dining room. Narcissa, you can escort Mr. Granger. I will escort Ms. Malfoy here."

Hermione started to protest, but the look on Draco's face stopped her. He seemed immensely pleased that his father was taking such a bold step. She accepted Lucius' arm with reluctance and took the front of the procession with him.

Whatever warmth Lucius had displayed with his front turned to the others, he quickly lost when he turned his back on them. Hermione practically shivered from the cold that seemed to radiate off of him, but still managed to speak. "I appreciate what you are..."

He interrupted her with a soft hiss of his voice that only she could hear. "Do not think I am honouring your request, Mudblood," he whispered. "Though I regret to say, in time, you will be the lady of this manor. It would not do for you to linger on things that have passed that cannot be changed."

She glanced up at him. "I know, it's just..."

"You will also learn your place here," he hissed, continuing as though she hadn't spoken. "Gryffindor though you may be, you will live among three high class Slytherins. I will not have a repeat performance from Christmas. You will conduct yourself, as always, like a lady with a title you do not really deserve. Remember, it is only given to you because Draco loves you so much."

Hermione's nose wrinkled and she glared at the elder Malfoy. So, this was what he thought?

She knew she would eventually have to face the demons which lurked in the drawing room. One look at Lucius told her they weren't the only demons in the manor. She now understood the reasoning behind the oleanders. Everything in this manor and on the grounds was beautiful, perfect,... and deadly.


	11. Chapter 10

In Laws

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter Ten

Hermione had never entered a dinner with a more unpleasant personality. Though he was cordial with her parents, with her, he was downright nasty. To make matters worse, he acted quietly, letting her know of his dislike without alerting the others.

Narcissa was so preoccupied with Henry that she didn't notice the tension between Lucius and Hermione. She didn't notice the way he would squeeze Hermione's hand to him, nor the wince Hermione would give. She didn't hear the muffled tones of Lucius' insults to Hermione's station.

As they entered the dining hall, Hermione heard her mother ask Draco, "Do all the pictures talk and move?"

"Photos don't talk," Draco answered, helping Amy to her seat. "But, yes, all pictures move."

Hermione was surprised when Lucius helped her to her seat. She didn't take it to heart, however. She had gotten a clear picture of his feelings for her on their way to dinner. She wasn't a complete idiot.

"I told you all these things, Mum," Hermione said as Lucius pushed her chair in. "Ow!" she exclaimed when he pushed her too far and her chest hit the table.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Ms. Malfoy," Lucius apologized, though she knew he had done it on purpose. She threw him a dirty look, to which he raised an eyebrow and gestured, with his eyes, towards her mother.

Hermione turned her attention to her mother to see Amy looking at them in alarm. She knew Amy had caught the dirty look Hermione had intended for Lucius' eyes only. But, she figured, her mother didn't really know Lucius. Thankfully, Amy didn't think it necessary to push the matter. "Yes, but, I was still surprised when that one painting bowed to me," Amy continued as though nothing had transpired.

Draco laughed, "That was Great Uncle Andolfus. He loves to greet guests."

"He also didn't realize you were Muggles," Lucius added as he seated himself at the head of the table. "Had he known, he wouldn't have been so amicable."

Ginny frowned as she took a seat next to Harry, who sat next to Hermione. "Were all your family members Muggle-haters?" she asked, genuinely curious."

"Andolfus had been a Death Eater during the First War," Lucius explained. "He was my father's older brother and very much everything my grandfather had wanted in a son."

"Had?" Henry questioned. "I take it he is no longer alive?"

"Well spotted, Mr. Granger," the Slytherin said. "That is the beauty of portaits. They don't begin to move or talk until after their source has passed on. Andolfus was attacked, killed, and robbed by one of your people. I was in my second year at Hogwarts at the time."

"Not all Muggles are related to each other," Hermione sniffed. "We don't interbreed like Purebloods tend to do."

"Hermione!" Amy scolded.

"Actually, Hermione, you're wrong," Blaise said. "Unless I'm mistaken, it is common practice among Muggle nobles to interbreed."

"Yes, but the Malfoys..."

"Are one of the oldest wizarding families in Britian," Blaise stopped the Muggle-born.

Hermione huffed. "That's not what I meant to begin with. Not all Muggles interbreed, but that's hardly the point of this conversation. Mr. Malfoy stated that it was one of our people who had killed his uncle. I was merely pointing out that he can't consider all Muggles 'one of ours.' We're not all related."

Draco placed a hand on Hermione's. "That wasn't what Father meant either. He knows you are not all related. Just as not all purebloods are related. Uncle Andolfus had been brutally killed by a Muggle."

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed. "And how many Muggles did 'Uncle Andolfus' brutally kill? If you ask me, he got what he deserved," she spat, viciously.

Draco's eyes widened as he stared at his wife. He had heard her go off on others before, but never had she been this ferocious. "Hermione..." he started, but Henry cut him off.

"That's enough, Hermione," the older man said. "We will not insult others in their own home. You know better. I have never seen this kind of behaviour out of you and, frankly, I'm disappointed."

"I'm just stating facts," Hermione told him. "Death Eaters are known for..."

Henry sighed, "I know what they are known for. Remember? You told your mother and me all about Death Eaters. But, it's in the past. Besides, I don't entirely blame pureblood wizards for the prejudice."

Narcissa looked at him curiously. "You don't?"

Henry nodded, but kept his eyes on Hermione. "Even Muggles are taught of the witch hunts and stake burnings of the past. Muggles were cruel. Do you know, Hermione, that if a found witch was pregnant, they would keep her alive long enough to have the baby and then kill her? And, if that wasn't bad enough, they would put the child in an orphanage where the child grew up doing manual labour in poor conditions. At one time, it was a horrible thing to be born a witch or wizard."

"Yes, but it was very rare that a true witch or wizard was ever caught," Hermione pointed out. "And, if they were caught and burned, they would simply cast a charm to keep them from actually burning and enjoy the sensation of the flames. One witch even went so far as to get herself caught several times simply because she enjoyed it so much."

"Sir Nicholas de Pomphrey was caught," Ginny said, looking down at her plate. "And he wasn't burned. They cut his head off with a dull blade."

"And didn't even manage to cut it entirely off," Blaise pointed out.

"Even now, there are still hard prejudices against witches," Amy added. "I read an article in our church newspaper that warned against a witch and what to do in case you stumble upon one. Witchcraft is considered a sin among Christians."

Hermione stared down at her own plate. "Muggles don't actively hunt witches and wizards anymore. Not like the Death Eaters hunt Muggles," she said. "I never said witch hunting was a good thing."

"Both sides have been at the wrong," Harry said, speaking up for the first time. "And both sides feel justified by their actions. You cannot blame a wizard for attacking a Muggle if that Muggle attacked a wizard. The same can be said in reverse. The key is to learn from the past, not repeat it."

"And there were Muggles who stood up for wizards back then. Just like there were wizards who stood up for Muggles during these wars," Henry stated.

There was a long moment of silence while the conversation was digested among everyone. One by one, everyone started eating. When Amy exclaimed about how delicious the food was, light conversation broke out. Even Lucius joined in on the conversation. In fact, only Hermione remained quiet.

"So, Hermione," Narcissa said as the food cleared and was replaced with dessert. "Have you started planning your wedding?"

The Muggle-born inwardly groaned. She knew the conversation would eventually turn to this and she wasn't quite sure how to approach it. "Honestly, I haven't," she answered. "I've only attended one wizard wedding and am unsure of the customs. Because I've been so busy, I haven't been able to read up on it."

"You're slacking," Draco teased. "What happened to the Hermione I used to know?"

Surprisingly, Harry agreed. "Yeah, where is she? You know, the one who took two and three classes at one time?"

"The one who always got top marks?" Blaise injected, jovially.

Ginny added, "The one who always organized a study schedule for, quite literally, everyone?"

"The one who came up with Dumbledor's Army?" Padma laughed.

"The one who can recite things from books word for word without need to see the text," Luna finished.

Hermione growled, "I get the point. I've been busy. All of you know this. You've been there, you've seen me. My main concern had been to get my husband and father-in-law out of prison. Not plan a wedding."

"Well, they are out now," Narcissa told her. "I was wondering why you don't have the wedding here?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, but Lucius agreed. "Splended idea, darling," he said, though he didn't sound as enthusiastic as he sounded. "While the Grangers have a nice, cozy home, the manor is better suited for such a large engagement."

Narcissa turned to the Muggles. "Do you agree?" she asked them.

Amy seemed to ponder it. "Well, exactly how many guests are expected? Aside from those seated?"

Narcissa shrugged. "Whomever Draco and Hermione choose to invite. I'm sure the Weasleys will be invited. They, alone, will take up at least half of this table..."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ginny bristled, throwing Narcissa a dirty look.

The woman waved it off. "It just means you have a large family, dear," she answered, not the least bit perturbed. "I'll want to invite Andromeda, as well. If it's alright with the bride and groom?"

Hermione tilted her head. "Andromeda Tonks?" she inquired. "I thought you disowned her?"

Narcissa glanced uneasily at her husband. At his nod of approval, she replied, "Yes, well, now that my son is marrying a Muggle-born, there's no point in denying her. She's my sister and the only family we've left."

Hermione didn't like that answer. "How do you know she'll forgive you after all this time?" she questioned.

The woman shrugged, but looked downcast. "I don't expect forgiveness. But, Draco is her nephew and you are one of the Golden Trio. I would think..."

"Is that the only reason you're supporting this union?" Hermione demanded. She stood up. "Because I am one of the Golden Trio? A war hero?"

Narcissa looked taken aback. "Of course not..."

"Bullocks!" Hermione snapped. "You knew what happened in this manor to me not that long ago, and yet you and your husband insisted on dining here! You knew I wasn't ready to return here. You have flaunted your wealth and degraded my family and friends when all we've done is help you. You expect me to believe I'm being accepted into this family with open arms? You and your husband cannot stand the idea that your son is marrying a Muggle-born. You hate that you must dine with Muggles! You can't stand the idea that your precious china is being dirtied by us! Guess what? I don't give a damn!"

With that, Hermione picked up a porcelian picture and threw it across the room, where it shattered upon the wall. She then turned and walked out of the dining hall.

Draco stood up. "I'll go get her," he said, as he began to follow her.

Harry caught his arm. "Leave her be," he suggested. "I know Hermione. Give her a bit to cool down."

Draco looked worriedly at the door Hermione had exited, but did as suggested. He wasn't really concerned for her safety, but he was concerned for her sanity. He gave his mother an apologetic look as Lucius comforted her.

Amy and Henry were astounded. They had never seen their daughter act so irrationally. "What happened here?" Henry asked. "What happened to our little girl?"

Draco and Harry looked at each other. If Hermione hadn't told her parents, they certainly didn't like the idea of telling them.


	12. Chapter 11

In Laws

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter Eleven

She had been running down the halls for a while now, slowly contemplating why they continued on and when they would end. Finally, she let her frustration out on a wall, punching and kicking at it. She felt hot tears cascading from her cheeks, but she didn't care. Everything about this place frightened her and now, she was lost. Memories of the drawing room flooded her mind. She grabbed her head with both hands and cried out in dispair.

"Goodness!" exclaimed a female voice.

Startled, Hermione glanced around her. The corridor was empty. "H-hello?" she called out meekly.

"Up here, dear," the voice directed.

Hermione looked up to see a portrait of possibly the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Long, wavy brown hair framed a perfectly chisled face. The woman in the portrait had a button nose, full lips, and slanted amber eyes. She was the epitomy of perfection. Her eyes held the utmost warmth in them as her lips pulled into a friendly smile.

"Hello, dear," the woman greeted. "I must ask, what was the reasoning behind that dreadful scream? I thought we'd heard the last of screams when Lucius informed me that the Dark Lord was defeated."

"I was frustrated," Hermione apoligized, blushing.

The woman nodded. "Yes, walking these passages can be frustrating, especially if you are new. What's your name?" she asked.

The Muggle-born hesitated. "Hermione Gran... Malfoy," she answered.

The woman in the painting gave Hermione a curious look. "Really? A new Malfoy?" she said. A twinkle was in her eye as she added, "I won't have guessed. I meant, your full name."

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed. "You wouldn't know my family," she told the picture. "My family is all Muggle."

The woman clapped her hands together happily. "I can't remember the last time we had someone with Muggle parentage in the family. We've certainly never had a Muggle-born," she stated. "I am Evalon Gwendolyn O'Reilly Malfoy. It is a pleasure to meet you, Hermione."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Hermione Jean Granger Malfoy," she gave. "You're Evalon?"

The woman smiled and clapped her hands again. "Finally! For years I've been waiting for one of these women to know who I am! Who would've thought it'd be a Muggle-born? I take it you fetched my name from the history books?" She gave a pleasant smile to show her approval.

Hermione tilted her head. "You aren't upset that I'm Muggle-born?" she inquired.

"Upset? Goodness, no. I'm actually quite pleased. This family is long overdue for a Muggle-born member," Evalon answered. "Too many purebloods with their conservative ways. If you knew the rubbish I've had to endure all these centuries... The last Half-blood to become a Malfoy had to feign hatred of her mother just to be accepted by the house."

The young Gryffindor's eyes widened. "I won't have to..."

Evalon shook her head and stopped her. "Rest assured. Thought there will be those who disapprove, most of us are ready for some change. You weren't here when that self-proclaimed 'Dark Lord' roamed these corridors. Hideous man. I was so happy when I heard Harry Potter and his friends defeated that disgrace," she sighed lovingly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Even portraits know the name Harry Potter," she mumbled. Then, louder, she said, "I don't suppose there was any talk of Ron Weasley or Hermione Granger?"

"Potter's faithful friends, yes," Evalon answered. "Wait! Hermione..."

Hermione smiled and nodded. The portrait sat there for a moment and stared at the girl. Then, she danced around and announced, "Don't go anywhere! I'll be right back!"

As if she'd know where to go. Hermione stood there alone and bewildered as Evalon left. The Gryffindor couldn't begin to understand the woman's odd behaviour. Nevermind fathom as to where the woman went off to.

"Hermione!" a voice called.

She turned to see Draco approaching her. She almost had the urge to ignore him until she saw the handle of the picture she had broken in his hand. Then, she thought about her actions in the dining hall and realized it wasn't Draco's fault.

As he approached her, he handed her the handle. "This was an antique, you know," he informed her, a slight twinkle in his eye. "It was given to my great grandmother as an anniversary present."

Hermione pursed her lips. "I'm sorry," she said as she cradled the handle. "I promise I'll fix it."

He shrugged. "No need. She had a whole cabinet full of them."

Her eyes widened in indignation. "Then why..."

"What concerns me most is your behaviour," he interrupted her. "It's my fault, I suppose. I was so excited to be returning home, I didn't stop to think..."

"I met Evalon Malfoy just now," she interrupted him in turn. She pointed to the empty portrait in hopes to steer the conversation from her embarrassing moment. "She was there. She went away, but assured me she would return."

Draco looked at the painting curiously. "I've never seen anyone occupy that painting," he told her honestly. "I've always assumed it was just a landscape."

"Yes, well, to assume is to make an arse out of you and me," Hermione said before she caught herself. She laughed at Draco's expression. "It's a Muggle saying."

He shook his head in amazement. "You'll never cease to amaze me," he quipped, smiling at her surprise. He pulled her close and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Young love. Isn't it sweet, Guinevera?" said Evalon, causing the couple to break apart.

Hermione smiled to find Evalon in her portrait along with a younger female. This girl had strawberry blond hair and hazel eyes. The girl in the portrait sneered nastily, "I never thought I'd see a Malfoy with a Mudblood."

"Guinevera!" Evalon scolded. "I've heard enough of that filthy word. You will not use it in my presence again."

The girl bowed her head. "Of course. I'm sorry, Grandmum," she said, though she didn't look the least bit sorry.

Evalon accepted the apology and turned back to the couple. "I am sorry for taking so long," she said to Hermione. "It's not everyday we acquire a new Malfoy. Even less common to acquire one of Muggle parentage. Is this the handsome Malfoy who managed to snag you?"

"Did you just say 'shag' her?" Guinevera asked, scrunching up her nose.

Hermione blushed deeply, but Draco laughed. "She didn't say 'shag,' she said 'snag.' Though, I have shagged her as well," he commented, earning himself a pop on the chest.

"Honestly, Draco, I don't need a bunch of portraits running their mouths about such things," Hermione hissed at him.

"Oh, look, Grandmum," Guinevera said, pointing at Hermione. "She's a Gryffindor. When was the last time a Malfoy has married a Gryffindor?"

Hermione followed Guinevera's line of vision to see the Gryffindor necklace she wore. She had forgotten to take it off before they left her parents' home. This only seemed to thrill Evalon even more, however. "Draco, you have truly outdone yourself!" she exclaimed. "Beautiful, intelligent, Muggle-born, Gryffindor, and a heroine. My dear, the two of you will be as legendary in this family as my husband and me."

Hermione inwardly groaned. She hadn't realized that meeting Evalon would earn her a sort of "portrait papparazzi." She dreaded all the portraits that would follow her and Draco around the manor. Life at Malfoy Manor was going to be interesting. But, first...

"Draco?" she inquired, glancing up at him.

He met her honey-coloured eyes and smiled. "Yes, my darling?"

"I wish to go to the drawing room," she announced, surprising both him and herself.


	13. Chapter 12

In Laws

By: Tassana Burrfoot

Chapter Twelve

During her flight through the manor, Hermione had been vaguely reminded of the Jim Henson classic, uLabyrinth/u. The first time Draco had stepped to the side, she thought he was going to walk through the wall. She was surprised when he revealed a passage she hadn't seen and was again, reminded of uLabyrinth/u. "Things aren't always what they seem," she quietly quoted.

"Pardon?"

She shook her head. "Nothing," she answered.

Draco glanced at his wife worriedly. He wasn't sure if this was a good idea. He had never seen her so frightened then what he had witnessed in the carriage on the way to the manor. He wasn't excited at the prospect of seeing that fright again.

Portraits lined the halls. Apparently, Evalon had ensured the news of Hermione arrival would spread like wildfire. Some of the portraits watched in couple with interest while others sneered and scowled. Every once in a while, Hermione heard someone mumble about Mudbloods and "tainting" the line. She ignored them all.

They finally came upon a large oak door and Draco stopped in front of it. "Are you sure about this?" he asked, casting her a worried glance.

She stood straight and held her chin up. "It's now or never," she answered, bringing as much of her courage to the forefront as she could.

He held her hand as he waved his wand at the door. The door seemed to slither away like a snake. Draco stepped across the threshold and patiently waited for her to join him, preparing himself for her flight.

For a moment, all she could do was stare. She felt her fear rising as flashbacks from the past hit her like a ton of bricks. She saw Greybeck grabbing her by the hair and pulling her into the drawing. She saw Bellatrix. She closed her eyes and took a single step forward. The screams of her past came upon her like a tidal wave. Bellatrix casting the Cruciatus Curse over and over while interrogating Hermione about the sword. Tears fell freely from Hermione's eyes as she took another tentative step forward. She would not let them get to her. She would win.

She could still feel the effects of the Torture Curse. Her skin crawled painfully. To this day, she did not know where she found the courage to lie to Bellatrix. To insist the sword was a copy.

She squeezed Draco's hand hard and heard his bones pop. Bellatrix was in the past. The Cruciatus was in the past. There was nothing in the manor that would hurt her now. Not while Draco was there. She was safe.

Draco watched his wife in amazement. He had never seen such strength and determination. He knew how hard this was for her and he silently prayed it would go well.

Then, very slowly, she opened her eyes. The fireplace crackled merrily. She glanced upward and saw that the chandelier had been replaced. This new chandelier made a vast difference over the drawing room. Or was it the lack of werewolves and mad women? There was a certain peace and calm in the drawing room that hadn't been there on that night.

Overstuffed, dark green armchairs semi-circled the fireplace. A grand piano sat in the far corner and was put on display for a set of green chairs. Where did that come from? Had the piano been there the night she was tortured? She didn't remember it. Pictures of Draco growing up adorned the wall near the fireplace.

Above the fireplace was a family portrait. The three Malfoys looked happy and at peace. She continued looking around and was surprised to see even some older portraits. But it was the pictures of Draco and his family that lightened her heart.

Draco as a baby. Draco as a toddler. Lucius throwing Draco in the air and catching him. Narcissa rocking Draco to sleep. Draco's first broom. A picture of the family standing in front of the Effel Tower. A picture of the family standing in the Colussium. Draco's first day of school. Draco's first steps. Draco peeing on Lucius as Lucius was trying to change his diaper. Lucius and Narcissa's wedding day. Lucius and Narcissa kissing under one of the white oaks. The trio picnicking in a park somewhere.

"What park is that?" she asked curiously.

Draco shook his head. "That's not a park," he told her. "That's in my mum's garden."

Hermione smiled. If she hadn't known it before, there was no mistaken it now. Lucius and Narcissa loved their son. Even more, Lucius and Narcissa loved each other. Every bookshelf, every open space, was covered in pictures. Their entire story was posted in pictures all around the room.

Draco breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her smile. He had worried about her going into this room. Her fear during the carriage ride had alerted him. He hoped to never see that fear again.

"You were such a cute baby," she said, laughing at a picture of baby Draco feeding himself. "Completely spoiled."

"I was not!" he quickly denied.

She looked at him and he smiled, then winked. Without warning, he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "Soon, there'll be pictures of you in here as well," he said before kissing her.

"What's going on in here?" Lucius' voice interrupted them.

Startled, Hermione jumped, breaking the kiss and looking at Lucius with wide eyes. When she realized who it was, she visibly calmed. Draco straightened and answered, "We were just sharing a private moment, is all."

Lucius folded his arms and glared at Hermione. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with this room?" he questioned.

As the others filed in, Hermione dusted off her shirt and shrugged. "Eventually I would have to come in here and face my demons. I figured now was as good a time as any. And, I had Draco with me. I knew I would be safe."

Since Lucius had all ready given a tour, everyone just lazed about the drawing room. Narcissa and Amy swapped baby stories which causing Hermione and Draco to blush while others laughed. Luna surprised them all when she asked to play the piano. Though a bit weary, Lucius granted his permission.

Smiling mysteriously, Luna tested a few chords before she began. Her music was so pleasant that the other people started taking the seats around her to listen. Then, she began a song Hermione knew by heart.

"Draco," she whispered, touching his hand.

He had been whispering to his father and not paying attention. He glanced at his wife before listening to the music. His eyes widened in surprise. How could Luna possibly know?

"Oh, I know this song!" Amy eclaimed, clapping her hands. "It's called 'I Can't Help Falling in Love With You.' Luna, how do you know this song? It's a Muggle song."

Luna just lifted her shoulders lightly as she continued to play. "It was playing on the radio at the bar-be-que," she answered, "and Dean told me that it was played at the dance Draco and Hermione went to. It was the song of their first kiss."

She changed tunes and continued, "This is the song of their first dance together." She played "As The World Falls Down."

Hermione stood up and moved to sit on the bench beside her Ravenclaw friend. "Luna? Would you mind playing these songs at the wedding?" she inquired.

The mystical girl nodded. "I don't mind at all. It would be my pleasure," she replied.

The rest of the evening passed in perfect harmony.

(II)

Two months later found Hermione standing in front of a full-length mirror wearing a long, white wedding gown. The gown was sleeveless and had sequence covering just about every last bit of it. Staring at her reflection, Hermione felt like a shimmering yeti.

"Can we get something with a little less sequence?" she asked, frowning.

Her mother smiled at her. "You look so beautiful."

"No, I look like a freak," the girl corrected as she stepped off the podium. "I'm taking this off."

Narcissa, who was standing at one of the dress racks, held up another dress. "What about this one?" she asked.

Hermione's eyes widened. The one Narcissa held was worse than the one Hermione was currently wearing! The billowy sleeves and high, ruffled collar reminded Hermione of the Renassaince. The girl promptly shook her head no.

She slipped in the dressing room and began stripping out of the atrocity she wore. They had gone through more gowns than she cared to count. Even Ginny had been lacking in finding a dress Hermione liked. Luna kept picking dresses that were very odd or completely inappropriate for a wedding. Padma found pretty much all the dress that made Hermione look like one of those princesses found in fairytale books. And while she liked the princess look, Hermione found it too childish. Narcissa kept looking to give Hermione birth controll dresses. And Amy was determined to put Hermione in something better serve on a New Orleans Mardi Gras float.

They had gone through hundreds of dresses. Hermione knew there had to be something that she would like, but the gods only knew where it was.

Then, as she was slipping on her jeans, she heard Ginny shriek. "Hermione, try this on!" Ginny cried, tossing yet another dress into the dressing room.

Hermione groaned, but pulled her jeans off yet again. She picked the dress up and was surprised by how light it was. That meant no sequence or beads. The dress was a soft ivory colour rather than pure white. Curious, the Gryffindor slipped on the dress and buttoned it up. Looking down, she gasped.

Picking up the dress's skirt so as not to tear the hem, she dashed out of the dressing room and climbed onto the podium. Tears welled in her eyes as her mother, friends, and mother-in-law stood around her. She looked perfect.

"My little girl has grown up," Amy wept.


	14. Chapter 13

"How long does it take for six women to shop for one dress?" Draco asked as he stirred his firewhiskey.

Blaise glanced at his watch. "Thus far? Nine hours and twenty-three minutes," he answered, giving Draco a sly grin.

Draco shook his head. He would never understand women, he knew. Nine hours, six women, one dress. He hated to think about the rest of the wedding details.

Thankfully, most of the planning was done. They were to have the wedding in the gardens. Hermione was to move into the Manor about two weeks before the wedding to help Narcissa prepare things. Draco would leave about a week later. Then, the guests would arrive a few days before the wedding. The reception would take place in the grand ballroom. The feast was to be set in the dining hall. The priest had already been by once, to check things over and council the bride and groom.

With Potter's and Hermione's influence, Mr. Ollivander had been convinced to fashion a new wand for Lucius. Draco could not have been more grateful. Over the past week or two, his father had taken to borrowing Draco's wand. (And not returning it in due course.)

Now the four men sat in the drawing room, drinking firewhiskey, and conversing lightly over the upcoming nuptials. Draco knew his father wasn't pleased over the matter. While Hermione had done well serving the family, Lucius' pureblood ways were hard to overcome. No Malfoy had ever married a Muggle-born before. And with Draco being an only child, he was the last in line. The fate of the family rested in his loins.

Lucius glanced at his only child. Narcissa had not been able to bare a child since their son's birth. She was frail and had almost lost Draco. Before Draco, they had had several miscarriages. It was feared she'd never bare a child. And then, when Draco was born, the child was nearly dead. Narcissa was nearly dead. Lucius was torn between joy of his son's birth and fear that he would lose his entire family in one day. Abraxas hadn't been any help, either. The old rotter had suggested offing Narcissa and finding a more suitable bride.

And now, Draco, Lucius' pride and joy, was going to marry a Muggle-born. Abraxas was, no doubt, flipping in his grave. Though his father had never been the greatest of fathers, Lucius still had a hard time disregarding the old sod's sentiment. He had no desire to see his son wed to filth. After all, for all Granger had done for his family, she was still tainted. Dirty.

Harry wasn't very thrilled about the prospects either. Harry loved Hermione. She was the sister he had never had. And he worried for her happiness. The Malfoys wouldn't be easy to live with, he knew. Course, Hermione was smart and stubborn. If anyone could take on the snobbish family, it was she.

Blaise was pretty happy, though. He had witnessed Granger over the past few months and couldn't deny her love for Draco. She was actually more than Draco deserved, in Blaise's opinion. But, all the same, the Slytherin couldn't be happier for the couple. They gave him high hopes for his own bride-to-be.

Regardless of how anyone felt, Draco could not wait to begin his life with his wife. Nothing else in the world mattered to him more. He wondered how many children they would have and had to stop himself from smiling stupidly.

The front door opened and shut and the four men stood. Moments later, Narcissa entered the drawing room, having devested in the entrance hall. She looked tired, but incredibly satisfied.

"How did it go?" Draco ventured, moving to sit next to his mother on the couch.

Narcissa shrugged. She snapped her fingers for a house-elf for a glass of red wine and sighed. "Not too bad, actually," she responded after taking a sip of her wine. "It was tiring. We tried loads of dresses and couldn't find anything she liked. Hermione can be horribly picky. But, when we were just about to call it a day, that Weasley girl found the perfect dress."

"Why didn't you just have it custom made?" Lucius asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

She glanced at him and sighed, "I asked the same thing, but Hermione insisted on shopping for the dress. She said it was more exciting this way."

Harry smiled. "It's probably a tradition in her family. Many Muggles shop for dresses that are already made."

"But she's not a Muggle," Blaise argued.

Harry shrugged and placed his glass on an end table. "She was raised by Muggles. You'll find she does a lot of things 'the Muggle way' simply because that's what she's used to," he returned.

Draco glanced at the Gryffindor curiously. "You were raised by Muggles," he pressed. "I don't see you doing things 'the Muggle way.'"

Harry laughed, "You'd be surprised, Malfoy. Besides, they didn't raise me. They ignored me. I pretty much raised myself."

"It doesn't matter," Lucius sneered. "The dress is bought and paid for. I assume you used our accounts, darling?"

Narcissa pursed her lips. "I tried," she told him. "But, Hermione refused to let me. Instead, her mother paid for the dress."

Lucius' eyes narrowed and he raised an eyebrow. "See that Mrs. Granger receives money back. The Mudblood is our charge now and I will not have her using her parents' money for things. You will take the Maid of Honour dress hunting tomorrow, or is she to be fitted? Who is the Maid of Honour, by the way?"

"Ginny Weasley," Draco answered. "And I'd really appreciate it if you didn't call Hermione that name."

Lucius waved the comment away and looked to his wife. Narcissa shrugged. "I suppose we could fit her, though I'm sure Hermione will want to take her dress shopping along with her bride's maids. Miss Patel and Miss Lovegood have filled those spots."

"Who is Lovegood walking with?" Blaise asked, looking at Narcissa with a curious eye.

Again, the woman shrugged. "I honestly do not know."

(II)

Hermione plopped onto the couch in her parents' home. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be going to Malfoy Manor. It was to be expected that she would eventually move there, but she really did not see the point in staying two weeks under the same roof with Lucius Malfoy without Draco's support. Thank the gods she'd have Narcissa.

"I still cannot believe you are marrying Draco Malfoy," Ginny said as she plopped down next to Hermione.

"Actually, they are already married," Luna corrected, wistfully. "This is just a ceremony where they give vows to one another."

Ginny pursed her lips. "Either way, it's still incredible," she said. "Who would have thought? Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger."

Padma grinned. "Do you blame her? Besides, there was always speculation in school."

"What speculation?" Hermione asked, glancing at the Indian.

"Come off it, Hermione," Padma chided. "The Gryffindor Princess and the Slytherin Prince? If people weren't fantasizing about Harry and Ginny, then it was either you or Draco. Of course, there were those who believed you'd end up with Ron, but many saw great potential in you and Draco."

Hermione bit her lip. "I didn't know I was part of a spectator's sport," she retorted.

"Aside from Ginny, you were the most beautiful girl in Gryffindor," Luna said softly. "There wasn't a boy in school who wouldn't have dated you. I think the only thing that held them back was the idea that you were already taken."

Padma nodded. "Many people thought you and Ron were a couple until he started dating Lavender Brown. And even after that, they still thought it."

"But all this time it was Draco," Ginny swooned.

Even Luna seemed mystified by the thought. Hermione chortled, "You all were interested in him?"

The three girls looked at each other and shook their heads. "We weren't that dumb," Ginny stated.

Padma smiled. "I think it was after the Yule Ball. Rumours started flying across the school. Apparently someone had seen Draco's reaction to you."

Luna nodded. "Draco Malfoy lost his heart that night. Right under Pansy Parkinson's piggy nose. She never saw it coming, did not see it leave. Even now, she hasn't realized that she's lost a game that was never played," she said.

Hermione was overwhelmed. The whole school had known about Draco's change of heart. Everyone had seen it... except for her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, looking at Ginny.

Ginny snorted, "Are you kidding? Tell the Gryffindor Princess that the Slytherin Prince was crushing on her? Nevermind the fact that he's a known Muggle-hater or that she was isupposed/i to be with my brother."

"You wouldn't have listened or cared," Padma pointed out. "Besides, Draco was in denial. He would never had admitted it, even if you had believed us."

Hermione sighed. What they said was true. She wouldn't have believed them and Draco would have denied the claims. "I'm surprised Parvarti and Lavender never let anything slip," she admitted.

"Actually, they did," Ginny told her. "Quite a few times. But you three, you, Harry, and Ron, were too busy to notice. At one point, Parvarti even practically shouted it, but you didn't hear. You were too busy trying to conjure a Patronis. I was actually surprised when your Patronis ended up being a ferret."

"It's not," Hermione argued. "It's an otter."

"I learned so much in the D.A.," Luna observed. "I wonder if Harry will make teaching his career. He would be a good Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

The other three looked at her curiously. A silence fell over them for a moment while each female got lost in her own thoughts. It was a comfortable, capatible silence that Hermione had long grown accustomed to being around Draco.

"This wedding is going to be great," Ginny said, breaking the silence. "From what Narcissa was telling me, they'll even have reporters there, thought she's not allowing Rita Skeeter anywhere near the manor. It'll be the most talked about wedding in England, and, possibly, Europe."

Hermione shook her head. "I really could care less for all the pomp and circumstance," she commented.

Padma shrugged. "You haven't much choice. You're a celebrity and you're marrying one of the wealthiest wizard heirs in Europe. You should count your blessings that Lucius is allowing the publicity," she informed.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

The Ravenclaw sighed, "The Malfoys are on of this oldest pureblood families. No offense, but you are a Muggle-born. A marriage like yours is frowned upon in pureblood society. Even my parents were shocked when I told them, and they are liberals. And, when you consider Narcissa had disowned her own sister when Andromeda Black married Ted Tonks..."

"But Draco and I are all ready married!" Hermione cried, asperated. "This is just a show!"

"And that's what makes this even more confusing," Ginny told her. "Most people wait until after the ceremony before they consummate and sign the paperwork. What you and Draco are doing, while not unheard of, is a bit unorthodox."

Padma agreed, "Most couples who do it this way are expecting a wee one."

"But, I'm not!" Hermione shouted, standing up.

"We know you aren't," Ginny assured her gently. "We're just preparing you. While you are at the Manor the last week, people will start to arrive for the ceremony. The first few days there, you'll be expected to help Narcissa and the servants clean and secure all Malfoy possessions. You'll be expected to help prepare the extra rooms to accomodate guests like your parents, family members, and the wedding party. Those people will arrive a few days before the ceremony and you'll be expected to be prim and proper."

"They will judge you on everything, Hermione," Padma told her, somberly. "And those pureblood wretches can be quite harsh."

Hermione already knew all of this. She was quite prepared to help Narcissa with decorated the manor and getting it prepared for the guests. Her main concern was getting along with Lucius for two weeks. She knew he hated her. And while Narcissa was pleasant enough, Hermione had a feeling the pureblood witch was putting on a show for the others to see. She had no idea what to expect from her in-laws.

"Hermione?" her mother called coming into the living room. She was holding a paper and had a confused look on her face. "I think there's been a mistake."

Amy handed her daughter the paper and Hermione looked at it. It was her parents' bank statement. At the bottom, she saw where the money had been drawn to pay for the dress. And...

Hermione saw red. "I'll kill him!" she growled.

The same exact amount that had been taken out for the dress had been paid back to the Grangers by one Lucius Malfoy.


	15. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** Sorry about the long delay, everyone. I mean... the ~really~ long delay. It's almost seems as though I had forgotten about this story. I haven't, really. Just been preoccupied. Anyhoo, here's your long awaited chapter. Hermione moves in with the in-laws!

**In-Laws**

_Chapter Fourteen_

Hermione's eyes traveled up the wrought iron gates. She couldn't believe how fast time had passed. She had fitted the bride's maids in baby blue dress robes and Ginny in a soft mint colour to match the Best Man.

Now, Hermione stood before the looming gates of Malfoy Manor. Her trunk dragged behind her on the gravel covered ground. The gates were meant to be intimidating. The snakes which wove through the bars were meant to warn intruders. It worked.

She stamped down her nervousness. "You can do this," she told herself. "It's just like taking a test."

Well, that didn't help. She had always been a nervous wreck before a test, during a test, and after a test. And this test had no text to study from. This was pure willpower and inner strength. She quickly reminded herself that she was a Gryffindor.

She stood straight and stared right at one of the snakes. "Open," she commanded. "I am Hermione Malfoy and I wish to enter."

The gates didn't budge.

She tried again. "I, Hermione Malfoy, command you to open and allow me passage," she said, mustering up as much power as she could.

They still did not move.

She could feel panic slightly start to enter her body, but quickly pushed it aside. Instead, she took out her wand and tapped the gates. "Open!" she shouted.

It still did not move.

Now panic _was_ setting in. Lucius had given her specific instructions to be inside the Manor at noon. He had even gone out the way to send a carriage for her and everything. The carriage was gone. Perhaps she had needed the carriage to get through the gates?

Near tears, Hermione went to lean against the iron bars... and almost fell through. With a gasp, she jumped away from the gates in alarm. She stared at the bars with confusion. They looked sturdy enough.

She reached a tentative hand out to touch them. Her hand went through the bars as if they didn't exist. She quickly pulled her hand back. Perhaps the bars recognized her?

Grabbing her trunk firmly, she decided to try walking through the bars, though she was a bit hesitant. To her astonishment, she was able to pass through easily. It was as though the bars were nothing but ghosts.

Purebloods! she mused. She wondered if the bars actually kept anything out, then surmised that they had to have.

She turned around and her mouth opened in shock. Perhaps it was because she had never seen the Manor grounds in the daylight. She certainly couldn't see the manor yet. Instead, she saw a long, narrow dirt road lined with Japanese cherry blossom trees and white oleander bushes. Albino peacocks picked at the road, but stayed close to the trees. When Hermione approached them, they walked closer to the trees.

She levitated her trunk and began the long trek to the Manor. She thought about her idea of walking instead of taking the carriage. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the gesture. She just wanted to see the grounds at ground level. Not to mention she felt a bit... medieval riding in a carriage.

She didn't mind the walking, either. The grounds were beautiful. The gaps between the Japanese trees and oleander bushes were large enough that she could see huge expanses of beautiful land. There were rolling hills and Hermione swore she could hear the distant sound of water, which she assumed must mean fountains or even, perhaps, a waterfall.

Thirty minutes of walking, however, made her glad she was sporting shorts and a tank top. The summer sun peeked through the overhanging branches of the trees and threatened to burn her skin. She sighed in relief when she saw the pale walls of Malfoy Manor straight ahead of her.

She smiled when she noticed the beautiful water fountain that had been placed right in front. Her smile slipped however, when she saw the massive structure she would call "home." Hermione couldn't help but note how new everything looked and surmised that the Malfoys had recently redecorated.

Hermione was exhausted. It was truly a long walk in one direction on a dirt road. She collapsed onto the stair that lead to the door and breathed a sigh of relief. She closed her eyes. Just five minutes of rest was all she needed...

"You're late," sneered an angry voice as a tall shadow fell over her.

Hermione opened her eyes and turned to see Lucius glaring down at her. "Sorry," she quickly apologized. "It's a really long road."

He folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. "What happened to the carriage?" he questioned.

"I sent it away," she answered, giving him a confused look. "I thought Draco told you. I was to take the carriage to the gates and then walk the rest of the way."

"That's a thirty minute walk, Mudblood," he growled. "Thanks to you, my wife has started cleaning alone. You have fifteen minutes to take your trunk to your room, change, and meet her in the parlor... Oh, and Mudblood? Wear robes."

He turned and left before she had time to protest. Annoyed, she stood up and dusted herself off. She grabbed her trunk and continued into the Manor. That was when she realized, she had no idea where her room was.

She silently chastised herself as she glanced about the foyer. There had to be _someone_ who could show her the way. She would even settle for a house elf, though she hated to ask something so helpless.

"Hermione! You're here!" called a female voice.

The young Gryffindor glanced around, but saw no one. The voice chuckled, "The painting, dear. Up here."

She glanced up at the top of the huge staircase and smiled when she saw Evalon standing next to a disgruntled man. "Evalon, so good to see you," she greeted, walking up the stairs.

"You look lost," the painting commented, thoughtfully.

"I am," Hermione admitted. "I have about ten minutes to find my room, change, and meet Narcissa in the parlor. Trouble is, I have no idea where either room is!"

Evalon laughed, "Yes, you'll have a hard time finding anything in this labyrinth... I _think_ you're staying in Draco's room, though I'm not sure. At least, you can change in there and if we are wrong, Narcissa will set you right. Lucky there are portraits the entire way, so I can guide you. If you go up this flight of stairs to my left and take a right, you can meet me in the far left hallway. I can get you the rest of the way."

Hermione nodded and followed Evalon's instructions. Finding the correct hall was easy enough. A few turns and several doors later, Evalon pointed out Draco's door.

"You haven't much time," the portrait warned. "Dress quickly and meet me back here. I'll show you to the parlor."

Hermione thanked her and went into the room. The moment she closed the door, she was engulfed in darkness. She took out her wand and muttered, "_Lumos_."

She glanced around the room, smiled, and shook her head. The walls were painted a rich hunter green. The carpet was a sea green. There was a king-sized four poster bed with dark green fittings and pale green drapes. Two dark green leather armchairs sat in front of the fireplace. A deep mahogany desk sat off to the side and looked cluttered, but unused.

The room reminded her of Hogwarts. Above the fireplace, a large coat of arm stood bold and proud. The Slytherin snake loomed above it all. Hermione pictured the Slytherin Common Room looking much like this, save the bed and mahogany dresser which stood beside the bed. The room was certainly big enough.

She placed the trunk on the floor and opened it. She dressed as quickly as possible in simple black robes. She then dabbed on some perfume and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She'd bathe later.

She checked herself in the mirror above the dresser and hurried out of the room. She collided with something large and solid. Looking up, she met Lucius' cold, hard glare.

"Fifteen minutes," he told her, his voice too calm for comfort. "You were to meet my wife in fifteen minutes. Twenty minutes have passed. Are you incapable of following instructions, Mudblood?"

Hermione returned his glare. She was getting tired of that word. "No, sir," she answered. "But when you give me such a short time limit and I've no idea where my room..."

"You had a chance of a tour, and you chose to run off to seldom used corridors," he interrupted crisply. "And, honestly, had you shown up on time, you would not have had such a short time limit. My wife is waiting in the parlor. I suggest you get there quickly."

He started to walk away and she grabbed his arm. He sneered down at her hand, then at her. They stared at one another for a moment before she retorted, "Perhaps it would be beneficial if you showed me to the parlor so I don't incidentally keep her waiting longer."

"You _will_ release me," he calmly voiced.

It had not been a request nor a command. It had been a warning. At that moment, Hermione remembered that he had been a powerful Death Eater. As she let go, he grabbed her by the throat and threw her against the wall, not letting go. She hissed as she clawed at his vice-like grip.

"You will never touch my person again," he warned. "You are nothing to me but a filthy little Mudblood. The _only_ reason I tolerate you is my son. I did _not_ become a Death Eater because of my kind heart. Don't mistake my 'hospitality' for acceptance. I will not hesitate to kill you. To Hell with the Malfoy line. Don't underestimate me."

He did not raise his voice once throughout his words. Instead, he had spoken in an almost whisper. But, to her, it was as though he had screamed. His words echoed in her brain. For the first time in over a year, Hermione knew true fear in the hands of a Malfoy.

He released her and she fell to the ground, gasping for air. She rubbed her throat and could feel the heat from it. She hated him.

As though nothing had happened, Lucius turned on his heel and proceeded to walk down the hall. She was still on her hands and knees when he called to her, "If you're going to follow me to the parlor, I suggest you do so now, Mudblood. I will not wait for you."

She shot him a deadly glare as she picked herself up and followed him. "Don't think you can push me around, Lucius," she growled. "I do not and will not take abuse. As a member of this family, I..."

"Will do as I say without question," he interrupted again, turning to face her. "I am the Master of this Manor, Mudblood. You will not presume to order me about."

"...demand respect," she finished.

She still felt the heat around her neck, but her moment of fear had vanished. "I give you respect and I expect it in return. You don't have to like me. Merlin knows I do not like you. As 'the Master of this Manor,' you have my utmost respect. I'll even be civil towards you. But I will not tolerate being treated like dirt. I am your son's wife, whether you like it or not. I worked my arse off to get you out of prison, something I _know _you did not deserve. I deserve respect. Nothing more, nothing less. And if you think it's foolish to underestimate _you_, you're right. You are a Death Eater.

"_I_ am a member of the Golden Trio. Were it not for _me_, Harry never would have defeated Voldemort..."

She watched Lucius' expression go from outrage to indifference. The small flicker of fear at the mention of Voldemort's name made Hermione give what she termed the "Malfoy smirk." She continued, "What's wrong, Lucius? Still scared of your dead Lord? It's only a name. He can't hurt anyone anymore."

"Only someone very foolish would say the Dark Lord's name," he sneered.

Her smirk brightened. "How odd! I remember a time when you said, and I quote, 'Someone very brave _or_ very foolish.' I assure you, I am not foolish," she informed him. "_You_ underestimate _me_, Lucius. I know what you are capable of doing. I've seen it. You have no idea what I can do."

With that, she stormed passed him and found her own way to the parlor.


	16. Chapter 15

**In-Laws**

_Chapter Fifteen_

The next couple of days found Hermione polishing the ball room floor. She didn't mind the work. It was actually ten times easier than cleaning Grimmauld Place. Though the manor was several times larger and no human had lived in it for a year, the two house-elves the Malfoy's owned were good at keeping it clean.

Hermione learned a lot about the house-elves the moment she found out they were there. There were two of them, a male and a female named Kobby and Dinky, respectively. Even more, they were Dobby's parents, though Narcissa warned Hermione about mentioning the dead elf to them.

"Regardless of what you may believe, Hermione, house-elves take a sacking shamefully," the Pureblood told her. "Whether or not it's a wizard's brainwashing, they do not understand. All they know is Dobby must have done something very wrong to cause his freedom. He was always a problem elf, even as a child. He hated taking orders and his parents did not understand it. Yes, we treated him badly, but to them, that didn't excuse his actions. Nothing you say will convince them otherwise. I've already tried."

"Do they know of his..."

"Death?" Narcissa finished for the Muggle-born. "Yes, they do. And they mourned for him, like any parent would do. Dinky was especially torn about it. But, we mustn't say anything to them. It's not common for a house-elf to dwell on such things."

Hermione took the caution to heart, knowing that Narcissa wasn't really trying to discourage her from interacting with the house-elves. She was careful not to mention Dobby in front of them. She found the house-elves to be fascinating. Dinky was the smaller of the two and Hermione mused that she was most likely smaller than Dobby had been as well. Kobby was very proud to serve and would most often be found trailing about Lucius.

There was a lot to learn about the Manor as well. Narcissa was quick to show her some secret passageways and short cuts. Hermione was startlingly reminded of Hogwarts and more than a bit peeved that Lucius had led her the long way on her first day there. With Narcissa's help, Hermione knew she would learn every nook and cranny within the Manor.

Yes, Hermione did not mind the Manor, the work, or the elves. She really didn't mind Narcissa either... for the most part. The only really difficult part was reminding herself that Narcissa wasn't trying to be insulting. It was really frustrating when they would sit at dinner and the Pureblood witch would softly correct Hermione's table manners. It was frustrating.

Lucius, on the other hand, had taken to ignoring Hermione all together. And that was perfectly fine for the Gryffindor. Aside from meals and evening tea, Hermione rarely saw him. It was a relief.

There were moments, however, when she would wish that Lucius _was_ around. Of course, those moments were few and far in between. And the moment she thought of the ridiculous idea, she quickly cast it aside.

With Lucius, she knew she was being insulted. But, one had to be careful what they wished for. She had no desire for that wish to be granted.

(II) (II)

The evening before the wedding guests arrived, Narcissa and Hermione retired to the drawing room. After days of painstaking labour, everything was finally done. Everything the Malfoys owned was secured, anything _too_ valuable was carefully stowed away. Several rooms were done up, beds were made, dressers prepared.

"How many of your family members are attending?" Narcissa had asked.

Hermione thought about it a moment before answering. "Four. My parents and my mother's brother and his wife."

"And they are all Muggles?"

The Gryffindor had stopped momentarily to gauge Narcissa's facial expression. She had learned that this was how to tell whether the Pureblood was insulting someone. Seeing that the older woman was merely curious, Hermione nodded.

"Then we'll have to be careful. I wouldn't want them to accidentally stumble upon a magical artifact and hurt themselves," Narcissa had stated, genuinely concerned.

They had spent the next few hours purging the Muggles' bedrooms of all things magical.

Now, they rested. Narcissa sipped at her firewhiskey while Hermione browsed the bookshelves. The girl loved all the pictures of Draco as a child. She smiled at one where he was sticking his fingers in Kobby's ears. There was another where Draco and Dobby were playing. It was adorable and nothing like the picture Harry had painted her of Dobby's treatment.

Lucius joined them about an hour later. He nodded politely to Hermione by way of greeting, then proceeded to completely ignore her. Hermione didn't care. She was used to it and actually a bit relieved by it. She had no desire to socialize with him.

"Just think, darling," Narcissa said, breaking the silence, "in two days, our son's marriage will be complete."

"I'm trying not to," Lucius mumbled, staring into the fire and cradling his glass of firewhiskey.

Hermione shot him a glance, but he did not catch it. Narcissa did not seem to hear him, for she continued, "Our boy. He's getting so grown up. It seems only yesterday he was pulling Kobby's ears. Now he's getting married. And soon, he'll be having his own children."

Startled, Hermione dropped the crystal ball she had been examining. Lucius shot her a dirty look, truly acknowledging her presence for the first time. "You're pregnant?" he questioned with a sneer.

Wide-eyed, the Gryffindor promptly shook her head. Narcissa laughed and batted her hand playfully at Lucius. "I didn't mean this very moment, darling. You have to give it some time. Perhaps in a year or two."

"Or five," Hermione commented, picking up the ball she dropped. Thankfully, it wasn't broken. She carefully placed it back on it's stand.

"What was that, dear?" Narcissa asked, turning to look at her daughter-in-law.

Hermione shrugged. "Well, after I take my N.E.W.T.s, I thought I'd try my hand at a career of some sort before I became a mother," she explained.

"You're not still thinking of becoming an Auror?" Lucius inquired, his sneer even more prominent.

Hermione shot him a playful smirk before turning her attention to a picture of a five-year-old Draco. "Perhaps," she taunted as the boy in the photograph stuck his tongue out at her. "But there's so many other possibilities. I could always be a lawyer, a librarian... Madam Pince might retire soon, I could always take her place at Hogwarts. Or perhaps I could teach Muggle Studies or Defense Against the Dark Arts. Or, I could open my own little bookshop. I could sell both magic and Muggle books."

"I don't understand why you would want to work," Narcissa said, wrinkling her nose. "We are first class, dear. We are near enough to royalty in the Wizarding world. There's no reason for us to work."

Hermione frowned and looked at her mother-in-law. "And what would I do? Spend my days lying about the Manor? Tending to the garden and cleaning? I would bore myself to death."

"Pish posh," the Pureblood argued. "There's more to being a Malfoy than such benign things. You have to keep track of all expenses, attend banquets and parties, host banquets and parties. There's also shopping and visiting your friends and..."

"All things I can do in the evening," the Muggle-born pointed out, interrupting Narcissa. "What would I do during the day?"

"Care for your child or children, of course," Narcissa answered as though it were obvious.

"I think her having a career is an excellent idea," Lucius said, shocking both women. He turned to Hermione. "If you would like, I could buy you a small store and you could sell your books. Or, if there's something else that you would prefer, I'll pay for your training in that field. So long as it's not Auror training."

Hermione eyed him suspiciously. She couldn't fathom why Lucius would want to help her with a career. Then, it dawned on her. He figured that the more time she spent on her career, the less time she would think about having children. Well, if he wanted to shell out the Galleons for her education, she wouldn't stop him.

"I think a small bookshop would be nice," she agreed, effectively hiding her thoughts. "On the side lines, I could study to be a lawyer."

He took another sip of his firewhiskey. "Sounds good enough," he commented. "When do you sit your N.E.W.T.s?"

Hermione shrugged. "Headmistress McGonagall said I could take them anytime. I was thinking of some time after the honeymoon. Perhaps in November or December."

He nodded. "Then I shall make the bookshop your Christmas present from Narcissa and me. Or perhaps a congratulatory gift for passing your N.E.W.T.s? You do intend to pass, correct?"

"As if I'd do anything less," Hermione snorted. "I intend to study hard to make sure I pass."

He gave her a tight smile that looked as though it pained him to give. "Good. I'd expect nothing less," he replied.

Narcissa was flabbergasted. "I can't believe you would rather sell books than have children!" she exclaimed.

Hermione shook her head. "Of course I wouldn't," she assured the older woman. "Nothing would thrill me more than to have a child or two with Draco. But, I'm only nineteen. I've spent a whole year fighting Voldemort, then another year trying to get my husband and father-in-law out of prison. I want a chance to start my own life. To make something of myself apart from 'the Golden Trio' and 'Draco's dedicated wife.' I want to transcend being 'bookworm Granger.'"

Lucius seemed caught up in her speech and for the first time it seemed as though he was in complete agreement with her. "She deserves this chance, darling," he added. "We should let her live a bit and see where life take her. You'll still get your chance to play Grandmother, I'm sure."

Hermione knew Lucius was counting on just the opposite. So, she smiled sweetly and said, "Of course. I do plan on having children."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "And what do you intend on naming these children?" he asked, as though truly caught up in her words.

Hermione pretended to think about it. "Well, it depends really," she finally answered. "I mean, if I have girls, there's Evalon, Gwendolyn..."

"Malfoys do not have girls," he told her.

Hermione gave a "Malfoy smirk." "Then I shall name my first son Julius," she retorted in amusement.

Lucius sniffed. "Scorpius would be more appropriate."

The Gryffindor frowned and wrinkled her nose. "Why on earth would I want to name my son after a venomous insect?" she questioned.

The Pureblood rolled his eyes. "Scorpius is the name of a constellation. One of the zodiac," he informed.

Her smirk returned. "That's not a very convincing argument," she bit back. "Especially when Divination was my least favourite subject."

He shook his head. "Scorpius is also derived from Scorpio, who was the creature which stopped Orion from fulfilling his threat of destroying all the creatures of the earth. Surely you've read about it? How Orion, the great hunter and most handsome man on earth, told Artemis that he would hunt and kill every creature alive. And how Artemis and her mother Leto sent Scorpio to put a stop to it?"

They stared at one another for a moment. "Besides," he continued, "if you named him Scorpius, it would show that you admit your faults. That even a know-it-all bookworm Mudblood isn't perfect."

Her smirk turned into a frown as she glared at him. "I _do_ admit my faults," she sneered. "It's _you_ who thinks _you're_ perfect. Just because you have generations of Pureblood witches and wizards coursing through your veins while mine are Muggles means nothing. If you actually looked at my ancestry, you'd see knights and lords. Celtic kings and even a Roman emperor run through my veins. You speak of noble blood," she snorted humorlessly. "My blood is just as noble, even if it's the nobility of Muggles. My ancestry held titles of honour and bravery. So, you can stop with saying my blood is dirty. My blood is just as noble as yours. It's just... different."

With that, she stormed from the room.


	17. Chapter 16

**In-Laws**

_Chapter Sixteen_

Hermione stood at the entrance to the dining hall. She was amazed by how much it had changed. What had once been one large table was not three tables. It reminded her of Hogwarts the way the main table sat vertically in front of the other two.

It was slowly beginning to register in her mind. She was getting married. In two days, she would be fully and completely Hermione Malfoy. Grant it, she already was Hermione Malfoy. But, this would finalize it.

Childhood memories flashed through her mind. She remembered her first day of school. The Sorting. She had been so nervous. She knew the moment that hat had been placed on her head, her life would change forever. She remembered the debate the hat had in her mind. How it had almost put her in Ravenclaw. Then, it shouted, "Gryffindor!"

The first two months of school, Hermione had felt herself become something of an outcast. She was too smart, too odd. Bookworm Granger who had buck teeth and crazy bushy hair. Many people had ignored her or teased her. Then, on Halloween night, she made two new friends: Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

Life for Hermione had become a constant battle as she worked hard to help Harry defeat Voldemort. It had been hard juggling school work and helping Harry. Not that she ever complained. As difficult as it had been for her, she couldn't begin to imagine what Harry had gone through every moment of his life.

Now Harry's fame took on greater heights. He wasn't just the Boy-Who-Lived. He was the Boy-Who-Defeated-You-Know-Who. Hermione laughed. If Snape could see Harry now...

The memory of her old Potions Master sombered the Gryffindor. Though there was never any love loss between her and him, she had always admired him. He had been nasty and cruel, but he had also been brilliant and interesting. He challenged her ad she took on his challenges with vanesse. She never wavered in his classes and did her best not to let him get to her.

She knew early on that, try as he might, she had been his best student. She refused to give up or give in. She was strong and determined even when he had been his nastiest. Not even Draco, Snape's prized student, had been able to beat Hermione.

She wondered what Snape would think now. His most prized student was getting married to the Gryffindor know-it-all. Would he be proud? Would he sneer and feign indifference? She imagined him sitting at a place of honour, clapping like everyone else while carrying a tight-lipped smile.

As an idea occurred to her, she walked up to the two tables. Then, she called out, "Dinky."

The house-elf appeared and gazed up to the girl curiously. "Misses called?" she asked.

"I want these two places set," Hermione told the elf. "At this spot," she indicated the chair to her left, "I would like a green note card with the name 'Severus Snape' written on it. At this spot," she indicated the chair to her right, "I would like a red note with the name 'Albus Dumbledore' written on it."

The elf blinked. "But, Misses, Master Snape is..."

"I know," the Gryffindor interrupted. "I still want them set. I have my reasons. Thank you."

The elf knew better than to argue with any witch or wizard, especially a family member. With a pop, she had disappeared. Moments later, the setting appeared just as Hermione had requested.

Hermione knew it was silly, but it's what she wanted. At the feast, she intended to explain her reasonings to her guests. She wanted to honour the two headmasters.

"What a thoughtful thing to do," someone commented.

Hermione looked around and found Evalon sitting in a painting behind her. Next to the painted lady stood a man whom reminded Hermione instantly of Draco. He must have been Julius.

The Muggle-born nodded in agreement. "I wanted to do something to honour Professors Dumbledore and Snape. They were good men. It's a shame they cannot be here for the wedding. What are you doing here?"

Evalon nodded. "I asked Narcissa to move my painting in here for the feast. I hope you don't mind. I wanted to be a part of the celebration," she explained.

"Actually, it's customary for us," Julius told Hermione. "We have seen every wedding within the Malfoy family."

Hermione smiled. "I don't mind at all. I think it's great. Actually, I was starting to get worried. I hadn't seen Evalon since my first day here," she admitted.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear," Evalon said. "That's Lucius' fault. As I was waiting for you, he had come and ordered me to leave. Since he's the Master of the Manor, I had to obey."

The Muggle-born sighed. "I figured it was something along those lines. Lucius can be a right foul git at times. Almost makes me wonder if he even has a heart."

"Of course he does," Julius snorted.

"If he didn't, Draco wouldn't be the man he is now," Evalon added.

"I know," Hermione told them. "But it still makes you wonder... Ah well, I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. I hate to break this short, but I do have a few more things to take care of today."

The couple in the painting smiled and bid her farewell. Satisfied, Hermione left the dining hall and went to the gardens.

(II)(II)

As beautiful as the dining hall and ballroom were, nothing compared to the area where the wedding would take place. A pristine white gazebo was adorned with ivy vines. White folding chairs were lined up in neat little rows leaving a large walkway in the middle. A red velvet roll-a-way carpet led down the aisle all the way to the gazebo. The smell of jasmine and roses filled the air like a sweet perfume.

She knew extra chairs were in the greenhouse. With a wave of her wand, she Accio'd two of them to her. She then transfigured them to her liking.

The first one, she transfigured into a large mahogany straight backed chair. It had deep burgandy cushions on the back and seat. The arms and frame were trimmed in gold with gold tassels hanging from the end of the arms.

The second chair she transfigured into a chocolate bamboo chair, also straight-backed. It had deep forest green cushions. Silver trimmed the frame and arms. It had silver tassles hanging from the arms.

She went to one of the rose bushes and plucked two roses, one red and one white. She transfigured these into armrests to match the chairs. The red one had golden stitching while the green on had silver stitching. They both read "Reserved" in Old English script.

She placed the green chair on the groom's side and the red one on hers. She gently lay the armrests over the arms of both chairs so that the "Reserved" could be seen from the aisle.

Standing back, she was satisfied with her handiwork. She took two more roses, transfigured them, and added them to the other arms of the chairs. She stood back and, looking at them, smiled.

Perfect.


	18. Chapter 17

"Ginny!" Hermione hollered from atop the stairwell.

She raced down the stairs and crashed into the red-head with a huge hug. The girls laughed. "You don't know how glad I am to see you," Hermione told her friend honestly.

Ginny laughed, "They've been that hard, huh?"

"Oh, Narcissa is a wonderful woman," the Muggle-born admitted. "A bit conservative, but very lovely."

Ginny nodded in understanding: It was Lucius who caused Hermione the most problems. The younger Gryffindor confessed, "Yes, well, Mum's all excited about tomorrow. She's been driving us all mad. And Draco's giving your mum quite a hard time. Harry had to confiscate his wand and the Floo Powder."

At Hermione's concerned look, the red-head giggled, "He keeps trying to sneak over here. First it was the Floo Powder, so your mum kept hiding it. Then, he tried Apparating, so that was when Harry took his wand. Now, he sits in his room and mopes most of the day. It's quite the riot."

The Muggle-born shook her head in silent amusement. "My husband is being held hostage again. I almost feel sorry for him," she commented, giggling. Then, she heard Narcissa's heels clicking on the tile floor. "Almost."

"Hermione, you cannot yell in the manor," Narcissa scolded, joining the two girls. "Oh, hello, Ginevra," she greeted. She turned back to her daughter-in-law. "You are supposed to be a lady. You have to conduct yourself as though you were the mistress of this manor. We do not yell and we certainly do not run."

"I'm sorry, Narcissa. I was just so excited to see my friend. She's like a sister to me," Hermione apologized.

The older woman smiled. "It's all right, my dear. Just try to keep it down," she said. "You're lucky Lucius is at your parents' house trying to talk to Draco. He would've been in a rage had he heard you shouting and seen you running."

Ginny held back a laugh. "That would actually be amusing to see," she couldn't help but say.

Hermione and Narcissa both looked at the young Weasley. Narcissa wrinkled her nose in distaste before turning her attention back to her daughter-in-law. "If you wouldn't mind showing Miss Weasley to her room, perhaps the two of you could talk on the way there."

The Muggle-born agreed and quickly steered Ginny away from the Malfoy mistress. "Wow, I went from 'Ginerva' to 'Miss Weasley' really quick there…" the young Gryffindor mused.

Hermione sighed. "Yes, well, you did insult her husband a bit."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "How…"

"Nevermind," Hermione quickly said. She linked her arm in Ginny's. "Tell me. Are you and Harry preparing for your own wedding?"

Ginny nodded vigorously. "And you wouldn't believe what my mother wants me to wear!"

(II)

Andromeda Tonks looked up at the large manor. She held Teddy close as she closed her eyes and tried to remember why she had come here. Her sister had invited her, but Andromeda could not comprehend why. She was just about to turn back towards the carriage when a Muggle car pulled into the driveway and two Muggles stepped out.

"Are you Narcissa Malfoy?" the man asked.

Andromeda shook her head, looking at the Muggles in complete shock. "I'm her sister," she told him.

"Oh, what a cute baby!" the woman exclaimed as she shut the car door and made her way over to Andromeda. "How old is he?"

The pureblood looked down at her grandson. "Teddy, show the lady how old you are," she told him gently.

The little boy held out a single finger and then buried his face in his grandmother's chest. The Muggle woman giggled. "One! Wow! You are just too adorable."

"I'm Daniel Granger," the man introduced, holding his hand out to Andromeda. "This is my wife, Kate. I take it you're here for the wedding?"

Andromeda, accustomed to Muggle ways thanks to her husband, gently took Daniel's hand and shook it. "For some strange reason my sister thought to invite me," she told him, a look of disbelief crossing her face.

He chuckled, not realizing just why the pureblood would be so shocked. "You must be related to the bride?" Andromeda asked.

Daniel nodded. "Hermione is our niece," he confirmed.

Andromeda nodded as the manor door opened. "Uncle Danny!" Hermione shouted, running down the steps and throwing herself into Daniel's arms.

"Well, hello, princess!" he chuckled with a slight huff. "Boy, have you grown!"

"And getting married tomorrow," Kate said, causing Hermione to squeal. The Muggle-born abandoned her uncle in favour of her aunt, wrapping her arms around the woman.

"I am so glad you could make it!" she told them both. Hermione turned and saw the pureblood and the baby. "Mrs. Tonks! What a pleasant surprise! I didn't know Narcissa had invited you!"

She gave the pureblood a one-handed hug and rubbed Teddy's back. The little boy glanced up at her and buried his face even further into his grandmother's chest. Andromeda shifted his weight a bit.

"I'm actually a bit surprised myself," she told the Muggle-born. "I had read the announcement in the Prophet, but I never imagined I'd get an invitation."

"I'm glad you did," Hermione confessed. "And I'm glad you accepted. Draco would have been heartbroken if you hadn't shown up."

"Really?" This surprised Andromeda even more. She barely knew her nephew.

The Muggle-born nodded. "I think he has some deep desire to be spoiled by an aunt," she said, giving Andromeda a grave look. "Seriously."

The pureblood burst out laughing. "You sound just like my cousin!" she commented.

Hermione smiled proudly. "Thank you," she said. Then, she turned to the party. "Come on in. I'll show you all to your rooms so you can get settled."

"Hermione?" Daniel said. The Gryffindor looked at her uncle. "Is this where you'll be living?"

She nodded. "Lucius and Narcissa are moving to some villa off the coast in France. Not that we want them to, in fact, I had suggested they stay and we'd get a flat in London. But, Lucius would hear none of it. Nor would Narcissa. They were both quite adamant."

She led them into the manor and towards the guest chambers. Daniel and Kate were both stunned by how the manor looked. "Are they royalty or something?" Kate asked as she noticed a vase that had to have been made in the early 1700s.

"Or something," Andromeda told the Muggle. "Lucius comes from an old line. A long old line. His wealth, which will become Draco's when Lucius has passed, was mostly inherited. The Malfoys have guarded their wealth very carefully and are quite good at adding to the bank account."

"Traits that I hope Draco has picked up on," Hermione said wistfully.

"If I know Lucius, he has," Andromeda assured her. "He has most likely been training Draco since the boy was a week old."

The pureblood and the Muggle-born shared a look and wondered just how right Andromeda was. They reached Daniel and Kate's room and Hermione kissed them both on the cheek. "I'll see you at dinner tonight," she told them both. "One of the servants will be here to fetch you around 7."

They nodded in agreement and closed their door. Hermione continued with Andromeda to another guest room. "I can only hypothesize why Narcissa invited you," the Muggle-born stated. "But, I am glad she did. I know Harry, in particular, will be more than happy to see you."

"How is he doing?" Andromeda asked.

"From what I know, he's doing well. He and Ginny Weasley are set to marry soon," Hermione told her.

When they got to Andromeda's room, they said their farewells. Hermione assured the pureblood of the escort as, "We won't be dining in the main dining room. That is reserved for tomorrow evening after the wedding."

(III)

Narcissa nervously paced the length of the fireplace. She was in such deep thought, she didn't even see the flames grow green in colour or see her husband appear in the room. In fact, she did not even notice him until he spoke.

"Draco should be fine for now," he told her.

Narcissa glanced up at him momentarily, wringed her fingers, and went back to her pacing. Lucius' eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong, darling?" he asked.

The woman shook her head and continued pacing. She made two more walks before Lucius grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to face him. "Darling? Talk to me," he commanded, concern evident in his voice.

"It's Andromeda," she told him, sighing. She looked up into his grey eyes and saw the confusion written on his face. "She's here."

He was still confused. "Have you spoken to her? Did she say something untoward?"

She shook her head. "I'm too afraid to speak to her," she confessed. She hugged her husband's waist. "Oh, Lucius, what if she hates me? It would serve me right. I abandoned her when…"

"Shh," he soothed, brushing her blonde hair with one hand whilst trying to think of the right words to calm her. "I'm sure she doesn't hate you, darling. We both know she could never hate you."

She gazed up at him, tears in her eyes. "How can you be so sure? We left her, Lucius. We abandoned her. Threw her out."

"Your parents threw her out, my dear. Not you," he corrected. "Bellatrix abandoned her. And if there is anyone to blame for your lack of contact, it's me."

"But, I should have contacted her! I should have…"

"Disobeyed your husband?" Lucius asked, his frown deepening. "Andromeda knows you would never have done that."

"I went against the Dark Lord," she pointed out. "Wasn't that disobeying you?"

He shrugged slightly. "Not entirely. Remember, my dear, I wasn't quite too pleased with the Dark Lord myself. And, you saved our family."

"You were his right-hand man," she protested.

"Not at the time, I wasn't," he told her. "But, you will always be my right-hand woman."

He kissed her gently on the lips. Looking into her blue eyes, he said, "I don't know how Andromeda will react to you, darling. I've no idea what she plans on saying or if she'll accept you. I hope she does, for your sake. I want you to have your sister back. But, know that, no matter what, I'll always be here for you."

She smiled at him weakly, which earned her a genuine smile from him. Her smile widened softly and she reached up and kissed him.

(IV)

The tension in the air was palatable as the Malfoys and their guests ate their dinner. Lucius was not happy to have Muggles at his table. While he did not exactly mind Henry and Amy, Henry's brother was quite loud and obnoxious in Lucius' opinion. And the pureblood certainly did not like the Muggle's ideas on how to "lighten the mood."

"So, I told him. If you really want a window pet, there are plenty of fish in the pet shop!" Daniel said, causing Henry and Amy to laugh.

Hermione smiled a little at them as did Andromeda. When the Muggle-born caught Narcissa's eye, she shrugged. "Uncle Danny is a veterinarian," she explained. "He also works on animal rescue missions and tried to find homes for rescued dogs and cats."

Lucius curled a lip in distaste. "Sounds a bit like the Weasleys," he muttered, but Hermione had heard him.

Her eyes narrowed. "At least it's real charitable work. What was the last thing you've done for someone else?" she challenged.

The pureblood held his head up high. "I shall have you know that we donate to several charitable causes. In fact, Cissy and I recently donated five thousand to a war orphans charity," he told the Muggle-born.

"Five thousand pounds?!" Kate exclaimed in amazement. "Wow! That's incredible. 'Mione, you're marrying into a really great family."

Hermione frowned. "I'm not marrying Draco for his money," she told her aunt.

"Of course not! That would be silly," Kate scoffed. "And I didn't mean it in that sense. Do you realize how many children will benefit from Lucius' donation?"

The Muggle-born pinched her lips together. She had a suspicion that the charity was more for pureblood orphans than anything else, but she couldn't tell her aunt and uncle that. They didn't know she was a witch.

The rest of the dinner went by in silence. Narcissa threw questioning glances at her older sister, but the woman ignored her. When the last course was finished, Lucius stood up. "Henry, would you and your brother care to join me in the drawing room for brandy and cigars?"

"Of course!" Henry said, standing and placing his drink on the table. "How about it, Danny?"

As Hermione's uncle nodded, Hermione and Narcissa stood as well. It was Narcissa who spoke. "While the men are off celebrating the union of our children, I believe it would be a grand time to show your aunts your dress, Hermione. Also, Miss Weasley needs a last fitting before tomorrow."

The men departed as the women stood. Andromeda looked around. "Aunts?" she asked. "I thought Hermione only had one aunt."

Before Hermione or Amy could speak, Narcissa spoke up. "Come tomorrow, 'Dromeda, you'll be Hermione's aunt as well."

The older woman's lips pressed together at her sister's use of her nickname. "I still don't understand why you invited me," she said. "All these years, Narcissa. I almost declined the invitation. The only reason I did not was for the chance to see my nephew follow in his aunt's footsteps."

Narcissa could feel her heart sink. "I know," she said, softly, her eyes downcast. "It was wrong for me to keep him from you. And it was wrong…"

"For abandoning me?" Andromeda questioned, raising an eyebrow.

The blonde took a deep breath. "When you left us for the Muggle-born, I thought…"

"I didn't leave you," Andromeda retorting, pushing back a lock of her brunette hair. "Marrying a Muggle-born does not qualify leaving one's family. I fell in love. And we married. It was all of you who left me. And for twenty-five years, I was ignored. I wrote to you, Narcissa. I cried every day I didn't receive anything back from my little sister. You didn't even come to the hospital when Nymphadora was born. And I owled you!"

"I know!" Narcissa gasped, trying to keep calm.

Hermione quietly led her mother, aunt, and friend out of the room. This was a conversation that they didn't need to hear. Once they were safely in the fitting room, Hermione returned to the family dining room. She would be there if Narcissa needed her.

"I missed you so much, Andromeda," Narcissa was saying. "You will never know the amount of regret I have…"

"For what?" the older woman demanded. "For abandoning me? For never writing? I had never even seen a picture of Draco until Lucius became the headline for the Prophet two years ago! I know nothing of my nephew. And then I hear he's marrying a Muggle-born. Good for him! I'm sure that pleases Lucius to no end."

Hermione could hear the sarcasm in the last statement. She knew only too well that Lucius wasn't pleased with the situation.

"Lucius is happy as long as Draco is happy," Narcissa started.

"Bull!" Andromeda hissed. "You know as well as I that if Lucius had any other children, Draco would have been disinherited the moment he even mentioned that girl to his father! The only reason Lucius doesn't disinherit the boy is because Draco is the last in line and you cannot have any more children."

"Andromeda!" The younger woman gasped.

There was silence for a moment. Then, Hermione could make out quiet sobs. "L-l-lucius w-w-would nev-never dis-disinherit D-d-draco," Narcissa stammered through her tears. "He l-l-loves him."

Hermione could hear Andromeda sigh. "I thought the same thing of my own family, Cissy," she said. Her voice was calmer now, but still harsh. "I never imagined my family throwing me out like yesterday's garbage just because I married a Muggle-born. But I was wrong. Aunt Walburga wasted no time blasting my name off the family tree. Our father, my own Dad, sent a document drawn up from his lawyer to Gringotts to tell the goblins that I wasn't allowed to draw any money from the vault. As if I wanted it. I was treated like a petty thief."

"But, Lucius isn't like that," Narcissa insisted.

"You don't know that, Cissy," the older woman told her. "I don't think we'll ever know for certain what Lucius is truly like."

"I know my own husband," Narcissa said. "He's done many horrible things. We've all made mistakes. What we did to you was wrong. There is nothing I can do to atone for it."

"Then what do you want from me?" Andromeda asked. "Why did you invite me? Do you expect forgiveness?"

Narcissa sighed, "No. I just want to… make up for what happened. You're my sister, 'Dromeda. I know I wasn't there in the past, but I want to be there for you now. I cannot imagine what it's been like for you. I know you've lost your husband and your daughter. I hate that that happened to you."

"Did you know Bellatrix was the one to kill Nymphadora?"

The younger pureblood sighed again, "I did not know that. Everything was so crazy at the time. Lucius and I weren't really paying attention to anything except finding our son. I am sorry to hear that though."

"Hagrid told me about it," Andromeda said.

"Bellatrix killed a lot of people," Narcissa confessed. "We both know she was mad to begin with. She became worse when she fell in love with the Dark Lord. I think Azkaban made her truly snap, though. She was responsible for Sirius' death as well."

There was another silence, this one longer than the first. Then, finally, Andromeda spoke, "I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive you completely, Cissy. But, I would like to perhaps start over again. We are sisters and I have always loved you."

"I would like to start over again," Narcissa agreed. "Perhaps you and I could make a difference in the world. I've been inspired by my son. Though, I'll have to work on Lucius a bit more, I would like to do something for the Muggle-borns and Half-bloods. Maybe a sort of charity for the orphans."

"I thought he said he was already doing something like that?" Andromeda questioned.

"Yes, but only for the purebloods," Narcissa pointed out.

Hermione heard Andromeda laugh. "Some things never change, do they, Cissy?"

The Muggle-born smiled quietly to herself and went back to the fitting room. She was confident that everything would be all right.


	19. Chapter 18

_Chapter Eighteen_

Hermione Granger had been through a lot in her short life. All during her childhood she could never understand why strange things happened the way they did around her. Then, on her eleventh birthday, a woman by the name of Minerva McGonagall came to her house to explain to Hermione and her parents that Hermione was a witch. Furthermore, Hermione had been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The young girl had been grateful for the year to get used to the idea. Though she had been excited about the prospect of attending a school of witchcraft, she had also been a bit terrified. Her parents had been terrified as well. What had it meant? Was Hermione a vassal of Satan?

But, ever the practical thinkers, Amy and Henry hadn't jumped to conclusions. With Professor McGonagall's help, the Grangers had traveled to Diagon Alley and learned as much as they could about wizards and witches. Though Hermione wouldn't be starting school until the next fall, it had fascinated her.

But, her first year at Hogwarts hadn't started out the way she had thought it would. Apparently, she was still very much the outcast she had been when going to Muggle schools. Kids teased her for being too smart. Even the teachers, namely Professor Severus Snape, barely let up on her for being an "insufferable know-it-all."

She would never forget that fateful Halloween night in the girl's bathroom when Harry and Ron had rescued her from a mountain troll. From that moment on, they were best friends for life.

Of course, it hadn't always been easy. For Harry, the constant threat of Voldemort kept the trio of friends on their toes. Year after year, the three had had to fight the monstrosity one way or another.

Hermione had been Petrified, Polyjuiced, tortured, and cursed. She had fought the likes of Bellatrix Lestrange, Fenrir Greyback, and Antonin Dolohov. She had helped Harry riddle his way to the Philosopher's Stone, find the Chamber of Secrets, learn about the prisoner of Azkaban, win the Triwizard Tournament, start the DA, and uncover Voldemort's Horcruxes.

She discovered passion in the arms of a boy who should have been her enemy. She found true love with a man she was destined to spend the rest of her life with.

She stood in front of the mirror and shivered. As she looked at the girl… no, the woman who stood in the mirror, she couldn't help but wonder if it would have been better to take on the Hungarian Horntail that Harry defeated in their fourth year. That would have been much easier than this.

As Amy worked on her daughter's hair, Ginny rolled her eyes. "Would you relax?" the red-head said in annoyance. "You're making _me_ nervous."

"Sorry," the Muggle-born squeaked as she allowed her friend to paint her face.

The young Gryffindor sighed as she put lipstick on Hermione's lips. "I cannot believe that you were able to take on some of the most frightful Death Eaters without so much as a twitch, but getting married makes you this nervous."

Hermione scrunched up her nose. "All right. We'll see how you do at your own wedding," she retorted. "It's not as easy as it looks."

There was a soft knock at the door. "Hold on," Ginny called, placing the tube of lipstick on the vanity.

The red-head rushed to open the door. Smiling, she backed up to allow Henry and Harry in. "How's my little girl holding up?" Henry asked.

"Nervous as a house elf," Ginny commented.

Hermione shot her a quick glare, then smiled at her father and her best friend. Harry returned the smile. "You look beautiful, 'Mione," he told her.

The raven haired young man walked over to his best friend and gave her a hug. "Thank you, Harry," the Muggle-born said. "You don't look so bad yourself. I really like that bowtie."

He smiled, then frowned a bit. He glanced over at Henry who sighed. "I suppose you're not a little girl any more, huh?" the older man said. "You're a young woman now. And about to be a married young woman."

"Oh, Henry!" Amy sighed, tears in her eyes. She wrapped Hermione in a hug and the mother and daughter were engulfed in Henry's hug.

"Oi! You're going to ruin your make-up!" Ginny exclaimed as the family broke apart. As they all chuckled, the red-head gently wiped away the smudges and corrected Hermione's mascara.

(II)(II)

As Draco picked lent off his shoulder and slicked back his hair, he thought to himself that he had never believed this day would come. Sure, he imagined himself married one day, most likely to some young bird his father picked out for him. But, he never thought he would find someone like Hermione Granger. Let alone actually be allowed the privilege of marrying her.

In fact, if someone had told him five years ago that he would be married to Bookworm Granger, he would have laughed in their face. Now he stood in front of a full-length mirror planning to do just that.

"Well, mate," Blaise said, clapping Draco on the back. "I would say this is your last moment of freedom, but that's not true. Instead, I'll say good luck."

Draco smirked. It was true. In fact, this is probably the first time in his life that he had ever truly felt free. No more Dark Lord. No more pureblood prejudice. "I don't think it'll be so bad. We'll have our ups and downs, but we can handle it," he commented.

"Besides, that's what make up sex is for," Blaise jested.

The two Slytherins looked at one another, smirked, and said in unison, "And a lot of it!"

They laughed together. Sobering up, Draco sighed, "I just can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her, mate. All bets are off now. It's really happening. All that's left is to say 'I do' and Hermione and I will really get to begin our lives as husband and wife."

Blaise nodded. "I'm only joking about the good luck. The two of you? You're going to make it. You already have. You've defied everything that any of us have ever believed. Slytherin versus Gryffindor, pureblood versus Muggle-born, man versus woman. You've overcome it all. You're going to be fine."

"Thanks, mate," the blond said sincerely. "That means a lot."

A knock came to the door and Draco bid the person to enter. His mother peeked into the room. "Oh, you look so handsome!" she gasped. "Now, hurry up, dear. It's about to start."

Lucius entered the room with his wife. He looked dourly at his son. "Any chance at all I could change your mind?" he asked, and Draco wondered if the older Malfoy was actually serious.

Draco shook his head. Lucius sighed, "Well, I cannot say this is the proudest moment of my life. You are, after all, marrying a Mud-"

"Lucius!" Narcissa practically shrieked.

"Muggle-born," the man corrected himself with a cough. "Though, I will say I am glad you picked this Muggle-born over the others. At least she has brains."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Um, thanks. I think," he said, glancing at Blaise. The dark skinned Slytherin shrugged.

The Malfoy men shared a quick hug, something that was rarely ever seen. Then, Narcissa, teary eyed, hugged them both. Blaise and Draco clapped hands together in a handshake and gave one another one-arms hugs.

"Well, mate, I'll see you on the stage," Blaise said, winking.

He watching his best mate and mother walk out of the room. Then, after straightening his robes for what seemed like the umpteenth time, he turned to his father and the two began their journey into the garden and into the rest of Draco's life.

He hadn't seen anything before today. His mother and Hermione had put everything together. His father gave him a slight nod and left to fetch his mother. Draco stepped onto the gazebo with the priest and looked around. He had to admit: The two most important women in his life did a great job.

He glanced over at the guests, surprised to see certain ones had bothered to show up. He nodded to Mrs. Weasley who had waved at him enthusiastically. He gave Professor McGonagall a soft smile, which she, surprisingly, returned. The one thing he did not understand where the two chairs all the way in the back, which he could just see over the guests.

He heard the music begin to play and could not help but smile. Though it was just a piano forte, the song was obviously their song. There was no mistaken the melody. Draco even found himself mumbling the lyrics for he had memorized the song.

Luna and Theodore Nott were the first two to begin the trek down the aisle. Draco nearly laughed at the comical expression on Nott's face. Having Luna Lovegood on his arm was clearly not on Nott's Bucket List. As they drew closer, Draco understood why.

"We must be careful of the nargles," Luna was whispering to Nott.

Draco snorted, but then covered it as Nott shot him a nasty sneer. He'd pay for that one later.

George Weasley and Padma Patil were next. As they bowed to Draco and the priest, George shot him a look that clearly read: hurt her and die. Draco nodded in acceptance.

Mrs. Granger and Potter came behind them. Amy smiled at Draco kindly as she curtsied. Potter, like George, shot him a warning glance.

Next were his parents. Draco's smile broadened considerably. He knew his parents weren't happy with this arrangement, but their acceptance meant the world to him. Draco caught his father's tight-lipped smile. Well, at least his mother accepted the marriage. He hoped that, eventually, Lucius would as well.

As his parents passed, Draco made eye contact with Blaise. The dark Italian just gave him an impish smile and a single nod. Draco inclined his head ever so slightly to indicate he got the silent message: Hermione was to die for.

Draco turned his attention to the girl latched onto Blaise's arm. He knew Potter and the Weasel were Hermione's best friend. But, he couldn't help but think that the Weaslette was a nice substitute for her wayward brother. He gave her a nod as she curtsied to him.

Once everyone was in their places, the music changed into the time-honoured Wedding March. Everyone stood and turned. Draco held his breath. This was it. And there she was.

One ivory gloved hand was placed gently atop her father's arm. The other held an elaborate bouquet of pink and white roses. Her sheer ivory veil covered her beautiful face. The ends of the veil were decorated with a white lace rose pattern. The dress itself was ivory silk. It had a long, full-length train. Like the veil, the dress was trimmed with white lace flowers. Atop the dress was a sheer ivory shawl with white lace accents.

Draco knew he was wearing probably the silliest smile he had ever worn in his life. He couldn't help it. He didn't care. Walking towards him was the most beautiful woman wearing the most beautiful gown. If ever there were a heaven, this moment was it. She was an angel.

Father and daughter stopped in front of Draco and the Slytherin swallowed the lump in his throat. Mr. Granger smiled kindly before turning to his daughter. He kissed her on her veil covered head.

"Who gives this woman away?" the priest asked.

Amy stepped up next to her husband. Draco looked in shock when he saw Potter and Ronald Weasley step up as well. The Grangers looked at the young men curiously. Then, they turned to the priest and four voices said, "We do."

The priest nodded, a bit stunned himself, and swept his hand, indicating that Mr. Granger should hand his daughter over to Draco. Henry lifted his daughter's hand and kissed the back of it. Then, turning to Draco, he gently placed Hermione's hand into the Slytherin's. "Take care of her," Henry whispered to Draco before moving to join his wife. Potter and Weasley returned to their seats as well.

The moment Draco took her hand, he knew this was forever. When she had first mentioned an actual ceremony, he had thought it was silly. After all, they were legally married. Now he understood her reasoning. He didn't really know why, but somehow, having her stand there, having the priest before them, and their friends and family behind them finalized it. This just felt right.

Hermione, for her part, was a nervous wreck. Well, perhaps nervous wasn't the right word. She was in shock that Harry and Ron had stood up with her mother to give her away. She was truly touched. She was also giddy. She wanted to laugh and cry all at the same time. She wanted to shout to the world: This is it! This is the beginning of the rest of her life.

For the most part, everything that was done was mechanical. The priest recited prayers older than anyone in the garden. When they got to the actual vows, the couple turned to one another. The veil was still over Hermione's face, so Draco could only see a sort of shadow of her. Hermione, however, could see all of him.

He smiled at her. "I tried to write down a good set of vows. Something to say to express everything I feel in my heart," he said to her. "Unfortunately, I couldn't find the right words, so please forgive me. I'm afraid I'm just going to have to say what's in my mind."

As she suppressed a giggle, he sighed and continued, "You're beautiful. You were beautiful from the moment I met you and have been growing more beautiful with each passing day. And I'm not just talking about your face or your body, though those count as well. I'm also talking about your mind, your kindness, everything. Everything about you is beautiful.

"I am honoured that you have agreed to marry me. I cannot go back in time and correct the sins of my past. I wish I could. I can, however, live each moment of my life making up for them. This is my promise to you, Hermione. I will love, honour, and cherish you until there is not a breath left in me. I will give my life for you if necessary. I will spend every moment of my life doing what I can to show you how much I love you. My life is entirely devoted to you."

He kissed the back of her gloved hand and she smiled. Tears brimmed her eyes, but she was strong. "It's ironic that you couldn't put to parchment what was in your heart," she began. "It's ironic because I had the same dilemma. For the first time in my life, Hermione Granger was at a loss of what to write. There were no books for me to research, no internet guides to browse through. I couldn't even find the appropriate words on television or in the movies. I was at a complete loss of what to say.

"But then, I realized: I don't need books or the internet or television or the movies. I don't need any of it, for it's all right here," she said, placing a hand on her heart. "I found out that the heart is the hardest to write about. The deepest, strongest, and most personal feelings lie within the heart. Therefore, the only way to hear it, is to speak it.

"We have both been through a lot. I cannot contemplate what you experienced through the darkest part of our lives. Just as you cannot for me. There are things that we may never speak of, memories that are best forgotten. But, I do know one thing, through it all, you were there for me.

"You were in my heart. You were in my thoughts. You were in my soul. Thoughts of you, of our love, of our life is what kept me from falling apart. In the darkness, you were my light. You were my angel of hope.

"Draco, I promise that I will live my life to repay you for what you've given me. I will do whatever it takes to be your angel of hope. I will love, honour, and cherish you until the moment my heart stops beating. My life is yours for eternity."

"NO! HE'S MINE!" a voice shouted, causing everyone to turn and look.

An angry Pansy Parkinson stood on her chair and brandished her wand. "You stole him, you thieving, Gryffindor bitch! You nasty, filthy Mudblood! How dare you steal him from us! From me! You will die! _Avada_…"

"_Expelliarmus_!" Harry shouted before she could finish her spell.

Every wand was pointed at Pansy as her own gracefully landed in Harry's hand. Draco had placed himself between his wife and the crazy woman. "Give me my wand, Potter!" Pansy snarled.

Harry looked at her as though she had grown a second head. "Back down, Parkinson," he ordered.

She hissed, "No! That filthy Mudblood needs to die! If I have to, I'll do it with my own hands!"

She started to run towards the gazebo until a Stunning spell hit her in the chest. Lucius approached the Stunned girl and picked her up by the arm with one hand. He threw her at Shacklebolt. "Get this wench off my property," he ordered with a growl. "Put her in Azkaban. I will not have my son's wedding day ruined by this trollop. Know that I intend to press full charges against her."

Kingsley nodded and, levitating the girl, led her away. A silence hung over the wedding as everyone settled back down. Harry pocketed Pansy's wand to hold until Kingsley returned.

"Are we to proceed?" the priest asked Draco.

Draco turned to his wife. "Do you wish to proceed?" he questioned her, taking her hand into his.

She nodded. "As your father said, on point in letting her ruin our moment. We only get one shot at this."

He nodded and bid the priest to continue. The rings were exchanged, the vows given. "Is there anyone who believes this couple should not be wed? Speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest addressed the assembly.

On Hermione's side, there was one who contemplated standing up. One who quietly wished to say so. For once in his life, Ron held his tongue. He had heard the words the couple had exchanged. He heard the depth of their love and devotion to one another. He knew no one would ever be able to replace it. Parkinson was wrong. Hermione did not steal Draco from Slytherin. Rather, the Slytherin had stolen the Gryffindor from Ron. And he knew there was no getting her back. So, he remained silent.

"By the power invested in me, by our Holy Father, before our witnesses, family, and friends, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride," the priest said.

That silly smile was plastered on Draco's face as he lifted her veil. Hermione's eyes were red, her face was wet with tears. He bent down and kissed her lips. He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. There were cheers, laughter, and an explosion of clapping. There were even wolf whistles from George and Blaise. Draco nor Hermione heard any of it. All they heard was the rhythmic beating of each anothers hearts.

As they broke the kiss, the priest announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to present Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy!"


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

There were only two vacant seats in the dining hall. Soon, Kingsley rejoined them, leaving only one vacant spot. Well, three if you counted the two seats left for people who were no longer alive. Hermione knew the two extra seats did not go unnoticed.

Narcissa gazed at the chairs curiously. She had checked and double checked the guest list. There was no reason why any seats, save Parkinson's, should be vacant. Yet, those two chairs at the ends of those two tables were indeed… vacant.

And elaborate. Draco wondered briefly if they were not the same chairs from outside. The only difference between the chairs was one had the Slytherin coat of arms on the cushions while the other beheld the Gryffindor coat of arms. Perhaps, Draco mused, they were meant to symbolize the joining of both Houses? But, whose idea…

His thoughts were cut short as Hermione stood up. She closed her eyes momentarily and fought down her nerves. She could raise her hand and answer any question posed to her in a classroom. But, speeches always made her a bit nervous. She gently tapped the side of her crystal glass with her fork.

She smiled as everyone turned their attention to the bride. She took a deep breath and her smile broadened. "'Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words, and they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!'"

She sat back down for a moment as those words sank into the minds of everyone around her. Draco gazed at his wife as though she had completely lost her mind. Perhaps the stress of the day had finally gotten to her? It was a sentiment that was shared amongst everyone else. "Darling…" Draco started, concerned.

But, Hermione, tapping down the last bit of her nerves, stood up again and ignored him. "Those were some of the first words myself and many of my classmates had ever heard spoken from Albus Dumbledore," she told the mass. Everyone grew quiet again, intent to hear her speech.

"I was eleven years old, as were many of my peers. Only a handful of us had learned merely a month before that we were magical," she glanced at her aunt and uncle who looked both bemused and a bit confused. She knew she'd have some explaining to do later, though probably not as much as her father.

"My parents and I had always wondered why odd things seemed to happen when I was incredibly upset or overly excited. When Professor Minerva McGonagall came to our door and explained it all, we were thrilled. I was thrilled. I was a witch. Everything I did was magic. It was every Muggle child's wish come true for me.

"The first time I saw Professor Dumbledore, I was both intrigued and petrified. I thought, 'Here is a man of great power.' Then, he said those words that made me, and many of my fellow classmates, laugh. He was an energetic man who loved teaching and loved children. He was intelligent and wise. He enjoyed reading the latest Transfiguration Today magazine while munching on lemon drops. But, most importantly, he was human.

"He knew love and loss. He knew happiness and sadness. He was courageous and caring. He did his best to never let anyone down, though he made mistakes. He questioned authority and taught his students to do the same.

"I never knew him personally, but I do know his best student, Harry Potter. So, today, I wish to honour Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. While he cannot be with us physically, he is here in spirit and mind.

"And now, I wish to speak of another, but please allow me to introduce him with a quote," she said, glancing down at her husband.

Draco stared at her. His jaw was slightly ajar. She gave him a wary smile. She took another deep breath.

"'The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before,'" she said, glancing around the room. "These were the words Professor Severus Snape said to my sixth year Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

"I don't have too many fond memories of Professor Snape. More often than not, he was chastising me for being an 'insufferable know-it-all' or helping Neville Longbottom. And, never mind the many times he considered his students dunderheads."

For a long moment, not a word was said. Hermione had to stop. The sudden lump in her throat had made it difficult to talk. She flashed Draco another wary smile that did not reach her watery eyes. Swallowing, she looked up at the ceiling.

"We weren't all dunderheads, Professor," she spoke, thinking of him. "Some of us hung on to every word you muttered. We listened to you. We feared you. You had… powers none of us could ever dream of having."

She gazed at her audience through unseeing eyes. "Like his predecessor, Professor Snape was a great man. He was passionate. He was complicated. He was the greatest spy the world had ever seen. A double agent who took it upon himself, risked his life everyday, to gain information from Voldemort and give it to Professor Dumbledore. He held many secrets, many truths. He loved his subject, even if he did not care for the 'dunderheads' he taught.

"But, he did care for us. In his own way, Snape cared. He challenged us to do our best. When we failed, he made certain to let us know. Mistakes were not allowed, because when fighting the Dark Lord, mistakes could mean death. Merlin knows, Snape had made enough mistakes on his own.

"But he, like Dumbledore, was human. He loved deeply and lost greatly. He had been happy at one time, and he had been sad. Although he knew how to be cruel, he never seriously brought his students to harm. Even when he was headmaster and Death Eaters ran the school, he did his best to ensure his students were, for the most part, safe.

"I am honouring Professor Severus Snape. He, too, cannot be with us in body, for he, like Dumbledore, had sacrificed himself for the greater good. But, he's here in spirit. Look, Professor," she said, glancing at the ceiling again, "the insufferable know-it-all made a good choice. She married your most prized student. Aren't you proud of me?"

She smiled through her tears, which were now cascading freely from her eyes. She lifted her glass, but Draco quickly stopped her. He stood as well, and tilted her chin down so that she would look him in the eye.

"Of course, he's proud," he told her. "But, not because you married his most prized student. But, because I married his most prized student."

Draco lifted his own glass. "To Dumbledore and Snape. May your phoenix fly and your cauldron bubble. You will forever be in our memories."

Hermione lifted her glass as well and said with everyone else, "To Dumbledore and Snape."

After everyone took their sips of wine, Blaise stood up. "Well, leave it to the Gryffindor Princess to break tradition and give such a speech on her own wedding day," he jested, smiling at her in a way to reassure her that he was, indeed, jesting. "Seriously, Hermione, did you write all of that down? How on earth did you remember those quotes?"

She smiled. "You'd be surprised what I remember, Zabini," she coyly remarked.

His eyes widened in understanding and he chuckled nervously. "Point taken," he commented. "Yes, onto my own speech… Never in the six years I went to school with Hermione Granger did I believe she would fall for this git. No offense, Draco," he said as Draco glared at him. He continued, "In fact, I had never known a more odd match. The proclaimed Prince of Slytherin was dashing, handsome, and could have any girl he wanted. Next to Potter, Malfoy was the most popular guy in school. He was also a real tart. He was spoiled, selfish, and really just a git…"

"They get the point," Draco growled, to much laughter.

Blaise waved him off. "I think it's a Slytherin trait. I'm a spoiled, selfish git as well," he said, throwing a wink at his blond friend. "Hermione, on the other hand, is beautiful, kind, and generous. She befriends those who have no friends and stand up for the underdogs. Even through the darkest of times, she remained true to herself and her heart.

"Mrs. Malfoy, when you were honouring Snape, you mentioned marrying his most prized student… you couldn't be further from the truth. My bet is he's watching this right now and calling you a dunderhead. Didn't you know Snape's most prized student was you? The insufferable know-it-all intrigued everyone. Believe it or not, Draco's heart hadn't been the only one you've ever stolen. That lucky bastard just managed to steal yours as well.

"So, Snape calls you a dunderhead and Draco believes he doesn't deserve you. I can't say I disagree. But, what I can say is this: The best years of your life are coming. I hope for all your dreams to be fulfilled. Trust me, those Professors are smiling down on both of you. To Draco and Hermione Malfoy! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" echoed the assembly.

Hermione giggled at the sour face Draco made. She glanced over the people and said, "Let's eat!"

She threw her hands out and, at her command, the tables were magically loaded with food. A few gasps of surprise could be heard from the four Muggles present. All in all, life was good.

(II) (II)

True to her word, Luna played Elvis Presley's song, "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" while Draco and Hermione opened up the dance. The Ravenclaw followed that song with the one by David Bowie and the rest of the wedding party joined in.

Next was the father/daughter dance. It was started by Hermione and Henry who were soon joined by other fathers and their daughters along with some sons and mothers.

Draco gracefully led his mother. She smiled at him and he found he was smiling back. Of course, he had not stopped smiling since he had led Hermione onto the dance floor.

"Mind if I cut in?" Amy asked, tapping Narcissa lightly on the shoulder and smiling.

"Not at all," the pureblood said as she handed her son over to his mother-in-law.

Draco bowed to Mrs. Granger before gliding her into a slow waltz.

Hermione was losing her parent as well as her father stepped aside for Lucius. Unlike Draco, she wasn't overly pleased with this new arrangement. But then, she knew her feelings for Lucius were mutual. Lucius only deigned to dance with Hermione to save face.

They did the customary bow and curtsey before Lucius took Hermione's hand and guided her across the floor. For a moment, he said nothing, and Hermione prayed his silence would last the length of the song. Alas, it was not meant to be.

"What an incredible speech you gave today, Mrs. Malfoy," he commented.

Not sure if it were a compliment or sarcasm, Hermione glance up into his icy eyes. It wasn't a compliment. "Which speech?" she asked, unsure if he meant her vows or the speech at dinner. Either way, she was offended.

"I was not aware you made more than one," he answered. "Personally, I believe that one was not particularly necessary. Your first honouree was nothing more that a foolish old coot. The other hated you and would have sneered at your mention of him."

Hermione glared at him. Thank Merlin he wasn't talking about her wedding vows. But, still. "Do not pretend to know what Severus Snape thought about me. As for Dumbledore, he may have been a bit foolhardy at times, but even your precious Dark Lord feared him."

"I know more about Severus Snape that you think, Mrs. Malfoy," Lucius hissed. "For years he pined over a little Mudblood, and in the end, it cost him his life."

"It wasn't the Mudblood," she argued, softly, careful to not let their conversation be overheard. "It was a wand. Snape died over a wand. Surely you were able to figure that out."

His grip on her tightened ever-so-slightly and she stifled a cry. She refused to show this man any fear or pain. "He died over a wand because of her," he ground out. "His love for that Mudblood caused him to follow the stupid fool you honour."

"He died with honour," she hissed.

"He was bitten by a snake," he returned. "I was not there, but even I know that. I saw the marks on his neck the day they buried him. Even I can recognize the wounds of a snake bite. And no one survives a bite from Nagini."

She rolled her eyes as he turned her in time to the music. "I'm not going to argue with you on the nature of his death. I saw it happen. I won't even argue with you about whether or not Snape liked me. I have my reasons for honoring him, part of which includes the man I just married. Draco and Snape were close. Even you cannot argue that point."

He growled, "I did not bring up your asinine speech to talk of Snape. I understood your reasoning behind including him and the old coot."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? Do tell."

He twirled her around again and caught her in a vice-like grip. She grimaced slighting at the knowledge that he would probably leave marks which she would have to explain to Draco later.

"Your words were meant to bring unity amongst Slytherin and Gryffindor," he growled. "You believe that if Dumbledore and Snape could work together, if you and Draco could have a happy life, then the two Houses can finally unite."

"And you disagree," she surmised.

"Without a doubt," he sneered.

A tap on Lucius' shoulder brought an abrupt end to their conversation. "May I cut in?" Ronald Weasley asked, politely.

"No, you may not, Weasley," Lucius scowled.

"Lucius!" Hermione hissed as she jerked out of his hold and grabbed Ron's hand. "You do not control my life! I will dance with whomever I choose."

"This conversation is not over," he snarled.

"It is for now," she said, curtseying to him before turning her attention to Ron. She pulled the red head away from the blond snob.

"What was that about?" Ron asked once they were a safe distance away.

Hermione shook her head. "Just in-law trouble," she answered.

"You'll probably get that a lot," he commented.

As they danced, he seemed uncomfortable. "Ron?" she inquired, concerned.

"I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to say it," he told her, looking downcast. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm sorry for everything. I realized that the only person I was really hurting was you and I didn't want to. You're my friend and I hurt you. I'm sorry."

Hermione smiled. "We've been through a lot. You, Harry, and me. And the three of us can be bull-headed and stubborn about things. But, through it all, we remain friends," she assured him.

Harry came over to them at that moment. Without a word, the three of them shared a group hug, silently protecting one another from the demons that existed in the world. "We'll always be the best of friends," Hermione quietly promised the young men. "No matter where our roads lead us."

"And we'll always be there for one another, no matter what," Harry said, holding his friends tightly.

"And we'll never let the small things draw us apart again," Ron concluded. And in that moment, the three felt the pact and knew each person was sincere.

(III) (III)

"What was that about?" Draco asked a little later as he led her through another dance.

Hermione shrugged. "Your father is an arse, that's all."

"Yes, I know that," he told her in amusement. His frowned. "That's not what I meant. You, Potter, and Weasley. What was that about?"

She gazed up into his stormy eyes and smiled. "Honestly? I don't believe you will ever truly understand. It's complicated, but suffice it to say that for a year, we only had one another. A lot of things happened that year that only we know and will never speak of. I hope you understand when I ask you not to ask. Just know that you are the one who holds my heart. But the bond the three of us created is not something that can be broken."

Draco nodded. He didn't understand it, but he was willing to accept it. A couple of hours later, the newlyweds bid everyone a fond farewell and headed off to Cancun. There they spent three glorious weeks on a tropical beach drinking tequilas and planning their future…

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, guys, we are drawing to a close. I hope you have all enjoyed it. I know I have. Thank you for all the reviews. Though I may not respond to them, I promise I do read them all and they are greatly appreciated.


	21. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

_Eight Years Later_

"DRACO!!!" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs.

Seconds later, Draco dashed into their bedroom. "What's wrong?" he asked, alarmed.

She glanced down at the bodily fluids on the floor. "I think it's time," was all she had to say.

Draco called for the house elves before Flooing St. Mungo's. They needed a Healer fast. Once he was able to grab one, he beckoned them to the manor. The med witch helped Hermione onto the bed, careful to conjure some protection for the sheets. As the Healer busied herself getting Hermione comfortable, Draco ran downstairs.

"Mother! Mother!" he called out, frantically opening and closing doors. "Mother!"

Lucius peeked his head out of the drawing room. "She's in here, Draco," he told the young man.

Draco burst into the drawing room where his parents had been sitting quite calmly. They were no longer calm at their son's look of distress. Narcissa stood up and looked at her son. "What…" she started.

"Hermione's in labour!" he practically shouted at the before going to the fireplace. He Flooed Harry and Ginny and asked them to bring Hermione's parents.

Alarmed by her son's outburst, Narcissa hasted out of the drawing room and up the stairs. Lucius continued to drink his tea casually.

Draco waited impatiently. Shortly after the honeymoon, Lucius had given the manor to Draco and his new wife. The older Malfoys had moved out to the Malfoy summer home in France. About two years ago, the home had burned to the ground, almost killing the older couple. Hermione had offered them a place to live until the home had been rebuilt. Lucius and Narcissa had been there since.

Hermione and Lucius had found a way to co-exist. They simply ignored one another. On the occasions when they did speak to one another, they were civil and polite. Neither ever initiated a conversation with the other, however, so they rarely spoke to one another. It worked out perfectly for them.

Ginny arrived followed by Harry, Ron, Luna, Blaise, and Padma. Lucius wrinkled his nose. "How many did you tell?" he asked the red-headed Potter.

Ginny just smiled. "Mum and Dad are arriving by car with the Grangers. And my brothers, save Ron, are coming as soon as they get off work," she answered.

Hermione wasn't the only one expecting. Both Ginny and Luna were seven months pregnant. Padma was three.

"Where is she?" Padma asked Draco.

He was frazzled. "In our bedroom," he answered.

The women hurried out of the room as Draco continued to pace. Blaise smirked, "Planning on putting a hole in that carpet? It would give Hermione an excuse to paint the room red."

Draco glared at his best friend. "Just wait until Padma gives birth," he threatened.

"Come now, Draco," his father chided. "Have a drink and relax. It's nerve-wracking, but really. She'll be fine."

For once, Harry agreed with the older Slytherin. "Hermione's a strong person. She'll get through this," he assured the younger Malfoy.

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "If she can survive being married to you, she can survive anything."

Four pairs of eyes glared at him, but Ron just shrugged. Though he had come to accept the marriage, it had taken Ron quite some time to get used to it. Luna had helped him a lot and eventually, he married the odd girl. Ron was happy with Luna. He loved her and she loved him. However, the bond between Ron, Hermione, and Harry was something that could never be broken.

Blaise took a seat in Narcissa's vacant armchair. "So, Lucius, are you ready to be a grandfather?" he questioned, taking a sip of fire whiskey.

Lucius cradled his own drink. He took his time before answering, careful to sip and swallow first. Finally, he responded, "I don't see what choice I have."

Harry frowned. He didn't like that response at all. Perhaps it was the indifferent look in the man's eyes or the fact that Lucius was so casual about it. "Yes, there's no reason for you to be excited about the birth of your first grandchild," he commented, sarcastically.

"You sound like Snape," Lucius sneered. "I never said I wasn't 'excited' about it. I just don't see the point in running around like a hippogriff with it's head cut off. She's having a baby, not a blood letting."

Harry and Ron were a bit shocked by Lucius' callous remark. Though, Blaise and Draco didn't seem affected by it. The dark Italian had heard remarks like it several times from Lucius as had Draco. And, had Draco really been paying attention to the topic, he would've given his father a nasty comeback as he was wont to do. Instead, he kept pacing, glancing at the door every few seconds.

Draco couldn't keep still. She was in labour. He could hear the faintest sounds of her screams over the crackling of the fireplace and the conversations. He wanted to be with her, but was too frightened to ask. Men weren't really allowed in the birthing room.

Kobby entered the room and bowed to the wizards. "Masters, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are here with Mr. and Mrs, Granger," he announced, stepping aside to allow the four into the room.

Draco stopped pacing long enough to give Mrs. Granger a hug and shake hands with Mr. Granger and Mr. Weasley. He started to return to his pacing, when Mrs. Weasley pulled him into a hug as well. "It'll be alright, dear," she offered to him as she patted his cheeks.

He nodded solemnly before returning to his pacing. Amy gave him a concerned look. "How is my daughter?" she asked.

"We don't know," Harry replied. "The women are upstairs in the room with her, but we've not heard a thing."

"She keeps screaming," Draco said, suddenly. His throat was dry from lack of use and his voice rose in a rasp.

Ron looked at him curiously. "How do you know that?"

Draco growled at the red-head. "If you'd shut that trap of yours, Weasel, you'd hear her. She's been on and off screaming since I came down here."

Molly and Amy glanced at one another knowingly. Amy turned her gaze to the distraught Malfoy. "Why don't you go to her, Draco?" she suggested. "She could probably use your support."

Everyone, save Henry, looked at Amy as though she had suddenly sprouted a second head. Draco stopped his pacing. "Men do not enter into a birthing room!" Molly exclaimed, appalled.

This had both Henry and Amy confused. Then, Henry's nose wrinkled. "How medieval," he commented. "This is the twenty-first century, not the twelfth. Most women like the idea of their husbands being present. Gives them someone to blame in between contractions."

"Not to mention, it helps ease the anxiety of the parents and the child," Amy added. "Studies also show that by the father being in the birthing room, he's also able to build a stronger connection to both the mother and the child. Especially the child."

Henry smirked, proudly. "I even got to cut the umbilical cord when Hermione was born. And, I was one of the first people to hold her. I was the one who carried her to Amy. It was a moment I'll never forget."

Amy held her hand out to Draco. "Come. Show me the way to this room. Who knows? Hermione may be screaming… for you," he said to him.

Mystified, Draco led his mother-in-law up the stairs and to his chambers. Hermione's painful screams kept getting louder and louder with each step. When they reached the door, Draco hesitated.

Seeing his reluctance, Amy smiled. "Wait here. I'll go in and see if she wants you," she offered.

Hermione's mother slipped into the room. Draco didn't wait more than a few seconds before he heard Hermione shouting, "DRACO MALFOY YOU GET YOUR ARSE IN HERE BEFORE I HEX YOUR BALLS OFF THROUGH THE DOOR!"

That was all the prompting he needed. He walked past the three girls he considered his friends, past his mother and mother-in-law, and past the Healer. He found Hermione laying propped up on a transfigured bed. Apparently, their bed had been too large for the Healer's liking, so it was changed into a smaller one with stirrups.

Hermione glared at her husband. "How dare you leave me in here when I'm like this!" she chastised. "You did this to me! You get your bloody arse over here and help me!"

Thankfully, Draco knew better than to baulk at being ordered in such a manner. He simply did as he as told, glancing at the Healer for instruction. But, the Healer was new at this part: Never had a wizard been present during a birthing.

Amy appeared behind Draco and whispered into his ear. He nodded as he approached the bed. He leaned down and kissed his wife softly on her lips. Then, he took her hand into his and, conjuring up a chair, nuzzled up beside her.

She went into another contraction. As she screamed, Draco jumped. She had squeezed his hand so tightly, he feared she was going to break it. With his other hand, he conjured a clean towel and wiped the sweat beading on her forehead. He then began whispering a soft Latin lullaby. It was a song his mother used to sing to him when he was hurt and he silently prayed it would sooth his wife.

As the lullaby began working its' magic on Hermione, the Healer began urging her to push. Draco did not mind the tightening of Hermione's hand, the screaming, the crying. He cried as well. His misty grey eyes filled with tears as his parental instincts began to kick in. Soon, he, too, was urging his wife on. She needed to push.

One final scream, one final squeeze, and a different scream altogether filled the air. This scream was immensely different from his wife's. In fact, Hermione was no longer screaming, but breathing heavy. This new scream was… higher pitched.

Draco gazed down his wife's body to see the Healer sitting between Hermione's legs. "Wait," Amy said, softly through the cries of a baby Draco could not yet see.

The Muggle woman stayed the Healer's hand and glanced at Draco. She smiled as she beckoned him to approach. Draco kissed his wife and stood up. As he approached the two women, Amy handed him a pair of slim sheers. "You should have the honour," she told him.

Draco gazed down at the small pink babe in the Healer's arms. He couldn't help but glance at the child's sex and was almost overcome. A boy. They had had a boy. With Amy's guidance, Draco cut the umbilical cord. The Healer wrapped the baby in a sea green blanket and stood up. Smiling, she handed the baby to his father. "Congratulations, Mr. Malfoy," she said.

An overwhelming sense of pride filled Draco's every core as he gazed down at his son. His eyes filled with tears of joy and love and he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. All he could do was stare in amazement. The boy was so beautiful.

He felt himself move closer to his wife, but he never took his eyes off of his son. He had never seen anything so beautiful. But, as he placed his son into his wife's arms, he knew he was wrong. This, mother and child together, his family. This was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. A sense of complete happiness crashed upon Draco as he smiled, tears falling unchecked from his eyes. This was his family.

(II) (II)

It was Harry's turn to pace in front of the fireplace. The other Weasleys had finally arrived and everyone was sitting in the drawing room. "What's taking so long?" asked the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Harry, please calm down," Molly begged. "Have a cup of tea."

"You really should," Arthur prodded. "These things can take hours. I remember Molly being in labour for at least nine hours with Ron."

Ron blanched. "There are some things no one should ever know," he commented.

"And Percy had been a breach," Molly said as though she hadn't heard her son.

"Well, that explains a lot," George commented, throwing Percy a wink. Percy rolled his eyes.

"Father? Mr. Granger?" Draco called from the doorway.

All eyes turned to the exhausted man. Both Blaise and Lucius stood up. Harry had stopped pacing. Percy and George abandoned their game of wizard chess and Henry glanced up from the piano. Henry removed himself from the piano to stand next to Arthur Weasley.

Draco entered the room carrying a sea green blanket. When he spoke, it was to the two men he had addressed, "Would you like to meet your grandson?"

Molly pressed a hand to her mouth in surprise. Slowly, Mr. Granger approached Draco. With a gentle ease, Draco handed his son to the Muggle. Henry held the baby lovingly. He cooed at the child and tickled the baby's nose with his fingertip.

Draco took a step back and felt, rather than saw, Blaise stand next to him. "You look like hell," the Italian whispered.

Draco just smiled goofily. He may look like hell, but he felt he was in heaven. There was only one last thing that needed to be done to make everything perfect.

Henry kissed his grandson's forehead before handing the baby back to Draco. Then, Draco watched as his own father approached him. No one spoke as the young man placed the babe into Lucius Malfoy's arms. A tentative moment was held in complete silence as grandfather and grandson met for the first time.

Lucius gazed into the child's perfect grey eyes. The last baby he had held had been Draco, over twenty-seven years ago. Now, he held Draco's son. Draco's beautiful baby boy. Lucius knew the child's mother was a Mudblood… no.

How long had it been since the pureblood had stopped referring to Hermione as a Mudblood? Was it after the fire when she had opened her home to him and his wife? No. He had stopped long before then. It must have been some time after the wedding. They had their fights, their disagreements. He hadn't spoken to her in quite a few weeks now, save the occasional "Hello." He wasn't sure when he had actually grown fond of her. But, then, looking at the baby, he found the answer to that question as well. The moment she announced her pregnancy.

Lucius felt his throat constrict. He could only think of one child that had ever been as beautiful as this child. And that was Draco. Like when he became a father, Lucius had no idea how to approach being a grandfather.

"Whe…" he swallowed past the lump and tried again. "Where is my daughter?" he asked.

Those who were not puzzled by his question were surprised. It was true that Narcissa had often referred to Hermione as a daughter. Just as it was true that Henry and Amy often referred to Draco as their son. But, to here Lucius as for his "daughter" was something no one was prepared for. It made Draco's chest tighten.

Draco knew something had changed in his father. And he knew things were only going to get better from here on out. He answered, "She's in our bedroom. The Healer asked her to stay in bed for twenty-four hours."

Lucius simply nodded as he proceeded up the stairs with the baby in his arms. Draco walked beside the older man as Lucius walked into his son's bedroom. Everyone else followed behind.

When the men entered the room, the women looked at them curiously. Husbands went to their wives, save Lucius. He walked up to Hermione. His silver eyes looking down upon her.

At first, the two just stared at one another. Then, a slow smile began to creep upon Hermione's face. Lucius gave the baby back to the bed-ridden mother and took a step back. He felt his wife touch his arm. He turned his head ever so slightly and kissed her gently on the forehead.

Lucius watched as his son interacted with the baby and mother. Then, he queried, "Have you decided upon a name?"

It was Hermione who answered. "We have. Scorpius Julius Malfoy. Scorpius, if you remember, Lucius, was the name you had given him. And Julius is the name of the first Malfoy."

Lucius tilted his head slightly. "I remember. I had been jesting at the time. Surely you didn't take me seriously?"

Draco and Hermione smiled at one another before Hermione turned back to her father-in-law. "That's why I chose it," she replied. "It was the first time you had ever jested with me."

~_Fin~_

"Wise men say only fools rush in

but I can't help falling in love with you

Shall I stay

would it be a sin

If I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows surely to the sea

Darling so it goes

some things are meant to be

take my hand, take my whole life too

for I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows surely to the sea

Darling so it goes

some things are meant to be

take my hand, take my whole life too

for I can't help falling in love with you

for I can't help falling in love with you"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, guys. this is the end. I hope y'all enjoyed the ride. I know I did.

Now, I will respond to one review in particular. I know I responded to her personally, but I figured I should respond here as well for everyone else.

ginnyginny asked me why Draco never defends Hermione throughout these two stories from his father. Here was the response I sent her:

"The first couple times that Draco did not defend Hermione it was because he wanted to see if she could defend herself. His parents are very much pureblood snobs and he knew that, to live with them, especially someone as harsh as Lucius, Hermione would have to be able to know how to handle them. She would have to stand up for herself. That's not to say he wouldn't stand up for her if things got too out of line. Which, they really didn't. At least, not while he was around.

But, that's the thing. Any time Lucius did something too horrible, like grabbing her throat in the hallway or clutching her sides too tightly, Draco wasn't around to witness it, or didn't notice anything unusual. And, Hermione's not the type to run to Draco every time she and his father have a scuffle. Again, if things got too harsh, she would. But, these incidences aren't that bad as far as she's concerned. Especially not after the war.

And, actually, if you recall in Heart and Soul, he did defend her when she wasn't around to defend herself. He chastised his parents for calling her a Mudblood. (The first argument is in Chapter Fourteen of HaS.) He also defended her throughout the next couple chapters. In Chapter Sixteen, he was going to start arguing with his father when Bellatrix's punishments made him double over in pain. He did it again at the end of Chapter Seventeen.

He didn't always stop his parents from calling her a Mudblood. Mostly because it was pretty much a losing battle. And, in many times, he was too distracted to notice.

Like I said, he never really defended her when she was there, however, because he didn't feel the need to. Hermione is a very independent person and knows how to take care of herself. He knew that she needed to know how to defend herself against his father, because she would have to do so when he wasn't around. At least, when he was there, he would be able to step in if things got too out of hand. But, they never did. ~Not while he was there.~

At the reception, Draco wouldn't notice Lucius holding Hermione too tightly. For one, he was busy dancing with his mother-in-law. And for two, Lucius didn't really make it obvious that that was what he was doing. And, again, Hermione wasn't going to say anything during the reception. Though, I'm pretty sure Draco had a nice long talk with his father once he saw the bruises Hermione knew were going to develop."

Again, thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed this story.

"Can't Help Falling In Love With You" ~Elvis Presley


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